It is worth spending a little time to mark out the potato patch, before planting seed potatoes.
1. assemble tools - rake, canes, string, tape measure.

2. remove the cover from the bed to reveal dry soil

3. rake the soil to level it

4. mark the ends of the potato rows with a cane.

• We have 2 rows in our plot. So first we place a cane in the centre of the plot. Then we place a cane either side to mark the position of each row. The distance between each row of potatoes is 70cm.

5. run string from one end of the row to the other, along the centre of the row

6. pull soil from centre of row to make a trench

7. pull soil from the other side, under the string, to make a trench

8. the board shows the correct spacing of the rows.

The distance between the bottom of the board & the bottom of the trench is 7.5cm.

9. the seed is then laid out in the trench at the correct spacing

• 30cm between seed for early potatoes
• 40cm between seed for main crop potatoes

The eBook ‘How to Grow Potatoes’ gives information on potato growing, including how to plant, feed and protect potatoes from pests and disease.

Marking out the potato land makes it easy to plant potato seed.