Early (or new) potato varieties are planted from January to March and are ready for digging from May-July.
Second earlies are planted between February and May and harvested from July to October.
Examples of early potato varieties are:
Ultra-Early Potato – Lady Christl
Lady Christl
* high yielding
* numerous uniform attractive tubers
* good all round disease resistance, although it is slightly susceptible to Foliage Blight
* excellent cooking qualities & great flavour
Extra Early Salad Potato – Rocket
Rocket Potatoes
* firm, waxy texture tubers
* good for chipping
* responds well under polythene
* best under long day length conditions of Northern Europe
Very early – Winston
* good yields
* bold white tubers
* a very short growing season
* good drought and heat tolerance
* powdery scab resistance
* masher, chips,bake,roast
First Early Potato – Sharpes Express
* low resistance to dry rot, late blight on foliage and late blight on tubers
First Early Potato – Red Duke of York
* low resistance to late blight on foliage, late blight on tubers, common scab, potato leafroll virus and potato virus Yo .
First Early Potato – Maris Bard
Maris Bard new potatoes
TopVeg favourite!
* high yielding and early bulking
* good resistance to potato virus Y, gangrene, potato leaf roll virus, drought, damage and bruising
* moderately susceptible to spraing, powdery scab
* susceptible to potato cyst nematode
* medium dry matter with good boiling and frying quality
* good all round cooker
Second Early Potato – British Queen
* round tubers
* white skin
Second Early Potato – Charlotte
Charlotte potato
* moderate yields
* uniform, smooth skinned tubers
* high resistance to foliage and tuber blight
* susceptible to potato cyst nematode
* medium dry matter
* waxy cooked texture
* salad potato
Second Early Potato – Kestrel
Kestrel Potato Variety
* good yields of very attractive, long oval, coloured tubers
* good all round cooking quality
* good chipping potential, particularly early in the season
Second Early Potato – Edzell Blue
* heritage variety
* very floury texture
* mashes & bakes well, though difficult to boil
* best known blue- skinned variety
Early (or new) potato varieties mature in 8 to 10 weeks, so are the first to be ready for eating.