How to Grow Potatoes to Eat on Christmas Day

1. Firstly pick the right kind of potato. First and second earlies are best as these can be planted straight into the soil or containers. Potatoes for Christmas planting can be purchased from most garden centres during June, July and August. Alternatively if you have planned ahead you can use cold stored seed potatoes that you purchased in the spring and have been kept cool in the fridge - effectively they have been kept in stasis waiting for you to plant them. You cannot use tubers that you have harvested from summer grown plants as they have an internal dormancy that will stop them from growing

2. Judge your timing. First and second earlies take about 12 weeks until the first harvest

3. Autumn harvested potatoes can be planted in the ground in midsummer, especially in the south of the UK where it stays warmer for longer

4. For Christmas harvesting plant in August. An unheated greenhouse, conservatory or bright porch would provide an ideal environment. Or start them outside in containers and bringing them into a more sheltered environment when it starts to get cold

5. Find a large pot at least 12 inches across or purchase a specific potato planter. Put a layer of compost in the bottom of the pot - multi-purpose compost is fine for potatoes. Then place your potatoes on top of this. Only one potato would be needed for a 12 inch pot. A 24 inch pot can hold up to 3 seed potatoes

6. As the potato plants grow, earth them up. This involves adding additional compost so that about 2 inches of foliage is showing

7. Keep well watered and feed with a potato fertiliser. Continue earthing up 

8. Once the foliage starts to turn yellow and die down the foliage should be removed and watering stopped

9. Leave the potatoes in the compost in the container and harvest them as required