Soilman

Ratte potatoes aren’t strictly first earlies. OK, so they’re not even earlies – by the book.

But if you bung ‘em in with your first earlies they make a decent size by mid July, and that’s when I most like them. They make the most utterly delicious salad potatoes.

By the way, dear reader: do you earth up all in one go at planting time… or earth up bit by bit as the haulms grow? I have a lively debate with other gardeners about this, because I’m convinced you get bigger plants and more potatoes by earthing up gradually.

Anyone gonna persuade me I’m wrong!?