Every time I go on Instagram at the moment, it seems another celebrity has decided to embrace growing potatoes at home – and do you know what, I think they’re on to something, as experts say potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in a small garden.
The latest I’ve spotted is actor, podcaster and author Giovanna Fletcher, who, in a fun-filled Instagram post, showed off her love for growing potatoes. And we share her joy. Potatoes are low-maintenance, beginner-friendly and suitable for hundreds of delicious dishes. Once harvested, potatoes are an easy grower that should be on everyone’s ‘what to plant in April’ list.
As my favourite vegetable, I’m more than happy to beat the potato drum. But are potatoes about to be the next ‘it’ vegetable? Well, they don’t call harvesting potatoes ‘digging for gold’ for nothing…
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Are potatoes trending?
Giovanna frequently shares updates of her flourishing garden on social media, and in a recent post showed she was in the process of chitting her seed potatoes. This is a key step in the growing process, encouraging seed potatoes to sprout early, to ensure strong, healthy growth once planted.
She’s not the only celeb to catch the potato bug. Jeremy Clarkson produces huge yields of spuds on his Diddly Squat Farm, and they’re also a staple of David Beckham’s veg garden. Not to mention the viral sensation that is the SpudBros, who’ve managed to make the nation go mental over a classic jacket, beans and cheese.
‘Potatoes have become a popular growing choice for celebrities this year, as they are easy to grow, even with a busy lifestyle. They do not need a lot of maintenance to achieve a good harvest, and can be grown in bags, pots and small spaces,’ says Richard Barker, horticultural expert at LBS Horticulture.
‘Potatoes are ‘trendy’ due to their versatility and are considered to be a ‘comfort food’ for many people. They are very nutritious and a good source of vitamins and fibre, and growing your own potatoes is seen as a way of becoming more sustainable and self-sufficient.’
Why are potatoes trending?
Now, a spud may not look as pretty as the recent cabbage trend, and a jacket potato isn’t exactly fine dining, but potatoes are so popular because of their simplicity. They taste delicious, can be cooked in many different ways, are low-maintenance and incredibly easy to grow. They’re a low-effort vegetable with huge rewards.
‘Potatoes are a very simple crop to cultivate. They really only require loose soil, sunlight and regular watering to thrive. It’s important to remember to cover the leaves/stems as they break the surface. Once they flower, you can start to harvest. But worth noting that they store better in the ground during the warmer summer months. So harvest as required,’ says Jude Allen, Head Grower at Wild Farms, of WILD Restaurant.
Plus, you can also grow potatoes in containers, making them perfect for small gardens, courtyard spaces or balconies. Because of this, potatoes are an accessible plant we can all grow, so it’s easy to see why they’re experiencing a boom in popularity.
‘People often assume that potatoes need a large amount of space to grow, but this is not the case, and they can be a great choice for small gardens,’ says Richard.
‘This is because they can be grown in containers or grow bags, and a single seed potato can produce as many as ten new potatoes, making it a high-yielding crop for the space it needs. Potatoes also grow upwards instead of outwards, as adding soil as they grow (known as hilling) can maximise production.’
What potatoes should you grow?
If you, too, have caught the potato bug, you’ll need to know where to buy seed potatoes.
‘There are around 5000 varieties of potato, even though most people only ever encounter maybe five or six. The Maris Pipers’ popularity took off a few years ago after Jamie Oliver recommended them for Christmas dinner roasties, causing a shortage in supermarkets. Personally, I don’t feel that they’re any better in this regard than the trusted old all-rounder King Edward,’ says Jude.
‘The Pink Fir Apple is a delicious heritage main crop variety. Its knobbly appearance, reminiscent of the crisp nik nacks, means it can be overlooked, but its waxy skin and nutty flavour mean it is worth seeking out and adding an unhealthy amount of good quality salted butter alongside.
‘For those who like chips, the Ramos is the high fryer. Their high starchiness allows them to crisp up nicely whilst remaining fluffy in the middle with a clean, neutral taste. It’s a reliable grower and perfect for chefs looking for consistent quality throughout the year.
‘If you want to go a little weirder, the brilliantly named Russian Banana is a buttery-tasting finger potato. Goes great with horseradish or coriander. Easy to grow with a good six hours of cool-to-warm sunlight and moderate watering.’
Where to buy potatoes:
I’m not going to go as far as to say potatoes are a trend. They are always a popular growing choice for the garden, albeit *very* popular right now. If you’ve caught the spud bug, why not try growing some of these varieties this spring?
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