Best Seed Potatoes: A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Variety for Your Garden

Choosing the best seed potatoes for your garden is essential for a healthy and productive crop. With a wide range of varieties available, it can be challenging to know which ones will suit your soil, climate, and culinary preferences. Whether you’re looking for early new potatoes, waxy salad types, or large maincrop potatoes for storage, understanding the characteristics of the best seed potatoes will help you make an informed decision.

This guide explores the best seed potatoes, how to choose the right variety for your needs, and tips for planting and growing them successfully.

What Are Seed Potatoes?

Seed potatoes are small tubers that are certified disease-free and grown specifically for planting. Unlike regular potatoes, they are bred for reliable growth, high yields, and resistance to common diseases like blight and scab.

Key Features

Certified Disease-Free: Ensures healthier plants and higher yields.
Pre-Sprouted or Ready for Chitting: Speeds up the planting and growing process.
Variety Options: Includes early, maincrop, and salad potatoes.

Top Varieties of Seed Potatoes

1. Best First Early Potatoes

Rocket:
- Extremely fast-growing and easy to grow.
- Produces smooth, white tubers perfect for boiling or steaming.
- Harvest Time: 10–12 weeks after planting.
Swift:
- One of the quickest-maturing varieties, ideal for containers.
- Creamy, delicious flavor.
- Harvest Time: 10–12 weeks.
Arran Pilot:
- A traditional UK favorite known for its fluffy texture and excellent flavor.
- Harvest Time: 10–12 weeks.

2. Best Second Early Potatoes

Charlotte:
- A popular salad potato with a waxy texture and buttery flavor.
- Great for boiling, steaming, and salads.
- Harvest Time: 13–15 weeks after planting.
Kestrel:
- Resistant to pests and diseases with versatile culinary uses.
- Ideal for roasting, boiling, and mashing.
- Harvest Time: 13–15 weeks.
Maris Peer:
- Produces smooth, uniform tubers with a delicious taste.
- Perfect for light cooking and salads.
- Harvest Time: 13–15 weeks.

3. Best Maincrop Potatoes

Maris Piper:
- The UK’s favorite for roasting, chips, and mash.
- Reliable yields and long storage life.
- Harvest Time: 18–20 weeks.
King Edward:
- Known for its fluffy texture and excellent roasting qualities.
- A heritage variety with a long history of cultivation.
- Harvest Time: 18–20 weeks.
Desiree:
- A versatile red-skinned potato suitable for boiling, roasting, and mashing.
- Stores well and resists drought.
- Harvest Time: 18–20 weeks.

4. Best Salad Potatoes

Pink Fir Apple:
- A nutty-flavored heritage variety with a unique knobbly shape.
- Ideal for salads and side dishes.
- Harvest Time: 12–14 weeks.
Nicola:
- Golden-skinned with a smooth, waxy texture and buttery flavor.
- Perfect for salads or steaming.
- Harvest Time: 12–14 weeks.
Ratte:
- A French variety with a rich flavor and waxy texture.
- Excellent for salads and light meals.
- Harvest Time: 12–14 weeks.

How to Choose the Best Seed Potatoes

Consider Your Growing Space:
- Small gardens or patios are ideal for compact varieties like Swift or Charlotte.
- Larger gardens can accommodate maincrop varieties like Maris Piper or King Edward.
Match the Variety to Your Soil and Climate:
- Potatoes grow best in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5.
- Choose blight-resistant varieties like Sarpo Mira if you live in a wet or humid area.
Think About Your Culinary Needs:
- For roasting and chips: Choose Maris Piper or King Edward.
- For salads: Opt for Charlotte or Pink Fir Apple.
- For all-rounders: Kestrel or Desiree are excellent choices.
Check Disease Resistance:
- Look for varieties resistant to blight, scab, and other common potato diseases.
Consider Harvest Time:
- First and second earlies are perfect for quick harvests.
- Maincrop varieties are ideal for larger yields and storage.

Where to Buy the Best Seed Potatoes

1. Garden Centres and Nurseries

Most garden centres stock high-quality seed potatoes during planting season (January–April).
Advantages:
- Inspect the tubers in person.
- Get advice on the best varieties for your region.

2. Online Retailers

Websites like Suttons, Marshalls, and Thompson & Morgan offer a vast selection.
Advantages:
- Convenient and often offer heritage or organic varieties.

3. Farmers’ Markets

Great for finding fresh and regionally-suited seed potatoes.
Advantages:
- Support local growers and discover unique varieties.

4. Allotment Shops

Affordable and tailored to local growing conditions.
Advantages:
- Good value and advice from experienced growers.

When to Buy and Plant the Best Seed Potatoes

Buy: January to February to start chitting before planting season.
Plant: March to April when the soil is frost-free and workable.

Tips for Growing the Best Seed Potatoes

1. Prepare Your Seed Potatoes

Start chitting 4–6 weeks before planting.
Place seed potatoes in a cool, bright spot with the eyes facing upward to encourage sprouting.

2. Enrich the Soil

Add compost or well-rotted manure to your soil before planting.

3. Plant Properly

Dig trenches or holes 10 cm deep.
Space first and second earlies 30 cm apart and maincrop potatoes 40 cm apart.
Cover with soil and water thoroughly.

4. Water Regularly

Keep soil moist, especially during dry spells, but avoid waterlogging.

5. Protect from Frost

Cover young plants with fleece or cloches if frost is forecast.

6. Harvest at the Right Time

First earlies are ready 10–12 weeks after planting, while maincrop potatoes take 18–20 weeks.

Conclusion

Choosing the best seed potatoes is the key to a successful and abundant harvest. By selecting varieties suited to your garden, soil, and culinary needs, you can grow delicious and versatile potatoes. Whether you prefer fast-growing earlies, waxy salad potatoes, or storage-friendly maincrop types, there’s a seed potato variety perfect for your garden.