Seed Potato 'Red Duke Of York'

Chitting Your Seed Potatoes

Chitting is particularly useful for first early potatoes, helping them get off to a quicker start. From January or February, stand the tubers in an egg box or shallow tray with the end showing the most eyes (the rose end) facing upwards. Keep somewhere cool, bright and frost-free, ideally around 7–10°C.

Allow short, sturdy shoots to develop, ideally around 2.5cm long. Avoid warm, dark conditions, which encourage long, weak shoots. If you haven't had time to chit your seed potatoes, they can still be planted successfully.

Where to Plant

Choose an open, sunny position with fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Improve the ground with well-rotted garden compost or manure before planting, ideally incorporating manure the previous autumn.

Avoid planting potatoes where potatoes, tomatoes or other members of the same plant family have recently grown. Crop rotation helps reduce the build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases.

When to Plant

Plant 'Red Duke of York' from around mid-March to mid-April, depending on your location and soil conditions. Wait until the ground has started to warm and is not waterlogged. In colder parts of the UK, planting may need to be delayed.

Planting Your Potatoes

Dig trenches or individual planting holes around 10–15cm deep. Position the seed potatoes with their shoots facing upwards, spacing them approximately 30cm apart and allowing 60cm between rows. Cover with soil and gently firm the surface.

Earthing Up

When shoots reach around 15–20cm tall, draw loose soil up around the stems, leaving the upper leaves exposed. Repeat as the plants grow. Earthing up protects tender shoots from late frosts and prevents developing tubers from being exposed to light, which can cause greening.

Watering and Feeding

Keep plants well watered during prolonged dry spells, particularly as the tubers begin developing. Water thoroughly rather than little and often, and keep the growing area free from weeds. If additional nutrients are needed, apply a suitable potato fertiliser according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Pests and Diseases

Keep your potato plants healthy by watering consistently during dry spells, particularly while the tubers are developing. Maintaining even soil moisture can also help reduce the risk of common scab.

Check plants regularly for signs of pests or disease, particularly during warm, humid weather. Good spacing, crop rotation and removing affected foliage promptly can help protect your crop. As a first early variety, 'Red Duke of York' is generally harvested earlier in the season, helping it avoid some of the blight pressure associated with later crops.

'Red Duke of York' is well suited to growing in large containers or potato growing bags. As a first early variety, it offers a useful way to grow fresh potatoes on a patio or in a small garden.

Choosing a Container

Choose a large, deep container with good drainage and position it somewhere sunny. Allow approximately 30–40 litres of compost for two seed potatoes. Smaller containers may be suitable for a single tuber, but avoid overcrowding.

Planting in a Potato Growing Bag

Add around 15cm of good-quality peat-free compost to the bottom of the container. Position the seed potatoes with their shoots facing upwards, then cover with another 10–15cm of compost. Water gently after planting.

Adding Compost as Plants Grow

As shoots develop, gradually add more compost around the stems, leaving the upper leaves exposed. Continue until the compost is a few centimetres below the container rim, leaving space for watering.

Watering and Feeding

Container-grown potatoes dry out more quickly than those in the ground. Check the compost regularly, especially during warm weather, and water thoroughly when needed. Allow excess water to drain freely. Feed with a suitable potato fertiliser according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Harvesting Potatoes from Containers

First early potatoes can often be harvested around 10–12 weeks after planting, depending on conditions. Gently check whether the tubers have reached a useful size. When ready, carefully empty the growing bag or tip the container onto a sheet to collect your potatoes without damaging them.

When to Harvest

'Red Duke of York' is a first early potato, generally ready to harvest from June into July, depending on planting date, location and growing conditions. Expect to start checking for harvestable tubers around 12 weeks after planting, although timing will vary according to the size of potatoes you want.

Checking Your Potatoes Are Ready

Flowering can be a useful sign that early potatoes are developing, although not every plant will flower. Carefully loosen the soil beside a plant to check the size of the tubers. Harvest them young for tender early potatoes, or leave them a little longer to develop larger tubers with a more floury texture.

How to Harvest

Choose a dry day if possible and loosen the soil with a garden fork, starting a little way from the stems. Lift carefully to avoid piercing or bruising the tubers. You can harvest individual plants as needed rather than lifting the entire crop at once.

Preparing for Storage

Freshly harvested first early potatoes are best enjoyed soon after lifting. If you intend to keep mature tubers for a short period, allow them to dry in a sheltered, airy place away from strong sunlight. Gently brush off loose soil rather than washing them, and use any damaged potatoes first.

Storing Your Potatoes

Enjoy 'Red Duke of York' freshly harvested to make the most of its excellent flavour. Mature tubers with well-developed skins can also be stored in a cool, dark, frost-free and well-ventilated place. Check stored potatoes regularly and remove any showing signs of deterioration.

Important Storage Tips

Keep potatoes away from light to prevent greening. Never eat green potatoes or green parts of potatoes. For longer winter storage, consider growing a suitable maincrop variety alongside your first earlies.

With its distinctive red skins, yellow flesh and rich flavour, 'Red Duke of York' is a rewarding potato to grow for the kitchen. Harvested young, it's excellent boiled, while more mature tubers develop a flourier texture that's particularly good for roasting and mashing.

Boiling

Young 'Red Duke of York' potatoes are delicious boiled whole or in evenly sized pieces. Cook gently until tender and serve with butter, fresh mint or parsley. Their red skins add colour to the plate.

Roasting

This variety is particularly good roasted, especially once the tubers have matured and developed a flourier texture. Cut into evenly sized pieces, parboil if needed, then roast with a little oil until the outside is golden and crisp.

Mashing

The floury yellow flesh makes delicious mashed potatoes. Cook until tender, drain thoroughly and mash with butter and a little warm milk for a light, fluffy texture.

Potato Salads

Harvest smaller, younger tubers for potato salads. Boil gently until just tender, then toss with fresh herbs, spring onions or a light dressing. Young potatoes generally hold together better than fully mature, flourier tubers.

Preparing Your Harvest

Give freshly harvested potatoes a thorough wash before cooking. Young tubers often have thin skins that can simply be scrubbed clean, so peeling isn't always necessary. Discard green potatoes, as greening can indicate increased levels of naturally occurring toxins.

What Are Seed Potatoes?

Seed potatoes are specially produced tubers intended for planting rather than eating. Each tuber has buds, known as eyes, which develop into shoots and grow into a new potato plant.

First Early, Second Early and Maincrop Potatoes

First early potatoes are generally the quickest to mature and are often grown for tender new potatoes in late spring or early summer. Second earlies follow during summer. Maincrop potatoes need a longer growing season and are generally harvested later, with many varieties suitable for storage.

Why Choose a Heritage Potato?

Heritage varieties offer an opportunity to grow potatoes valued for their distinctive flavour, appearance or history. Dating back to 1942, 'Red Duke of York' is recognised for its deep red skins, yellow flesh and excellent flavour. It is a traditional first early variety with RHS Recommended: AGM recognition.

What Size Will My Seed Potatoes Be?

Seed potatoes naturally vary in size and shape, even within the same variety. Smaller seed potatoes can grow just as successfully as larger ones, provided they are healthy and have viable eyes. Larger tubers may produce more stems, but this does not necessarily mean a greater overall harvest from the same weight of seed potatoes.

For packs sold by weight, the number of tubers may vary depending on their size, but you will receive the stated pack weight.

Storing Seed Potatoes Before Planting

Unpack your seed potatoes promptly after delivery. Keep them somewhere cool, bright, dry and frost-free until planting. Avoid leaving them sealed in packaging or in warm, dark conditions, which encourage long, weak shoots.

What If My Seed Potatoes Have Already Sprouted?

It's normal for seed potatoes to develop shoots before planting. Handle them gently to avoid breaking the shoots and keep them in a cool, bright position until you're ready to plant.

Do I Need to Chit My Seed Potatoes?

Chitting is particularly beneficial for first early potatoes such as 'Red Duke of York', as it can help them establish more quickly and encourage an earlier harvest. However, it isn't essential. Healthy seed potatoes can still grow successfully without chitting.

Can I Plant Supermarket Potatoes?

We recommend using certified seed potatoes rather than supermarket potatoes intended for eating. Certified seed potatoes are produced and inspected to meet plant health standards, reducing the risk of introducing pests and diseases into your garden. Supermarket potatoes are not sold or certified for planting and may have been treated to discourage sprouting. For a healthy, reliable crop, always choose certified seed potatoes.