Salad Potatoes

Salad potatoes are the gardener’s reward for patience: small, waxy tubers with firm flesh and a rich, buttery flavour that holds its shape when boiled, steamed or roasted. Unlike floury varieties, they won’t break down in the pan, so they’re perfect for warm potato salads, summer suppers and simply served with butter and fresh mint.

Most salad varieties are first or second earlies, so they crop quickly and suit smaller plots, raised beds and large containers on the patio. Chit your seed potatoes in a cool, bright spot from late winter, then plant out from March to April once the worst frosts have passed. Earth up the shoots as they grow, keep them well watered in dry spells, and you could be lifting your first crop by early summer. Leave a few plants in the ground longer for bigger tubers later in the season.