Potato growing in the UK LOs 1. Describe where potatoes are grown in the UK 2. Describe how to grow potatoes 3. Explain the factors which affect potato yield
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Potato growing in the UKLOs1. Describe where potatoes are grown in the
UK2. Describe how to grow potatoes3. Explain the factors which affect potato
yield
What do these terms mean?
Haulm Eye (of a potato)Chit SproutIrrigation VirusRidges HarvesterCultivate Tonne
What do these terms mean?
Haulm= the green parts of a potato above ground
What do these terms mean?
Eye (of a potato)= a sprouts on the potato tuber
What do these terms mean?
Chit= when the sprouts appear: “to chit”
What do these terms mean?
Sprout= the growing new stem of the potato on the tuber
What do these terms mean?
Irrigation= adding water to the potato crop
What do these terms mean?
Virus= a tiny disease causing microbe
What do these terms mean?
Ridges= rows of soil under which the potato tubers develop
What do these terms mean?
Harvester= a self-propelled vehicle to gather a crop
What do these terms mean?
Cultivate= to grow
What do these terms mean?
Tonne= 1 000 kg
Where to grow potatoes.
Potatoes grow well in most soil types but ideally they should be grown in well-drained, loamy soil that is not too heavy. The soil needs to be deep, well ploughed and with plenty of well-rotted organic matter incorporated. The plot of land should be cleared and prepared in late autumn/early winter so that the frost can break down the soil structure, which will make for easy planting in the spring.
Preparing the seed potatoes.
To get your potatoes off to a flying start the seed potatoes are chitted them before planting. This allows strong chits (sprouts) to develop on the tubers before planting. Whilst this process is not essential for Maincrop varieties, it is strongly recommended for First Earlies and, to a lesser degree, for Salad varieties and Second Earlies.
Planting.
A few days before planting fertiliser is added to the soil. The tubers are set in rows, either at the bottom of a ‘V' shaped trench or in individual small holes. The rows are made running north-south as this allows the sun's rays to warm both sides of the ridges.First Earlies can be planted from late February in milder, frost free areas; Second Earlies from early March; Salad varieties from late March; Maincrop varieties from late March.
Earthing up.As soon as shoots start to appear above the soil, it's time to start ‘earthing up' the rows. This means pulling soil over the shoots from either side of the row to form a ridge. This protects the plants from late frosts and prevents the tubers from becoming green and inedible. This is repeated regularly until the ridges are about 20cm high.
Irrigation.
As the potato is a fleshy crop with a high water content and the tuber is mostly made up of water, it is essential that the crop is allowed as much water as possible. Rainfall is unlikely to provide for all this need and so irrigation is used. This can be by self-propelled irrigator, hoses, flooding, or by fixed pipe irrigators.
Harvesting potatoes.
When the weather is good the haulms are removed mechanically, or by spraying. A harvester lifts the potatoes from each row. They are shaken to remove stones and soil, before being bagged or loaded into boxes for storage. Much of our UK crop of potatoes are processed for crisps.
Potato pest and diseases.
Blight is a fungal disease.
There are a number of viral diseases, including Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
Colorado Beetle is a notifiable pest.
Check your potato knowledge1. What are most potatoes in the UK grown for?2. Name a pest and a disease of potatoes.3. Why should a potato crop be allowed to dry out?4. What are the rows of earth, under which the
tubers grow, called?5. What is a ‘maincrop’?6. What is chitting?7. Why are the haulms removed before harvesting?8. What does notifiable mean?9. How many kg in a tonne?
10. What does frost do to ploughed soil?
Check your potato knowledge1. What are most potatoes in the UK grown for?
Potato crisps
Check your potato knowledge2. Name a pest and a disease of potatoes.
Colorado beetle, slugs,
Viruses inc. PMV
Fungi inc. Blight
Check your potato knowledge3. Why should a potato crop be allowed to dry
out?The crop depends on a good water supply and/or irrigation
Check your potato knowledge4. What are the rows of earth, under which the
tubers grow, called?
Ridges
Check your potato knowledge5. What is a ‘maincrop’?
The main harvest of potatoes in the late Summer and Autumn
Check your potato knowledge6. What is chitting?
When the tubers sprout
Check your potato knowledge7. Why are the haulms removed before
harvesting?They are unwanted and will get in the way of the harvest
Check your potato knowledge8. What does notifiable mean?
The Police have to be informed of the find
Check your potato knowledge9. How many kg in a tonne?
1 000
Check your potato knowledge10. What does frost do to ploughed soil?
Breaks it down
Potato growing in the UKLOs1. Describe where potatoes are grown in the
UK2. Describe how to grow potatoes3. Explain the factors which affect potato
yield
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