Seed Potatoes: Nicola - Autumn Planting For Christmas Harvest

Discount: Buy any two bags of Autumn planting seed potatoes and 10% of their cost will automatically be taken away at the checkout.

Name: Seed Potatoes: Nicola

Latin Name: Solanum tuberosum

Organic or Conventional: Conventional

Amount: 1kg (Approx 7 to 12 tubers)

When To Plant: August to September

Cropping Time: November to December

Seed Potato Size: Ware grade seed potatoes

Origin: Scotland

Description: Nicola is a great potato for the amateur gardener. Excellent steamed/boiled and served hot or cold in salads. Bred in the early 1970s, Nicola is a relatively new salad type – perfect for eating with the skins on. Beautiful thin smooth skin they have too, a very clean looking spud.

Nicola is a second early potato with well-shaped oval potatoes. The skin is thin and very light brown with cream coloured flesh. It’s one of the best tasting new potatoes and is superb hot or cold. Keeps well in the ground for a month or so longer. Reasonably good disease resistance overall, unfortunately it is susceptible to blight.

Nicola is also a top Christmas growing variety. Plant the seed potatoes in August and you will be harvesting new potatoes from late October to December.

Cooking: Use for Boiling, Salads, Steaming.

How to Grow Nicola Seed Potatoes for a Christmas Harvest

When to Plant:

• Plant in August or early September while the soil is still warm. This gives the potatoes time to develop foliage and start forming tubers before the colder months set in.

Where to Plant:

• Choose a warm, sheltered spot in your garden that gets as much sun as possible.

• For best results, grow in containers, raised beds, or bags, which are easier to move and protect.

• If possible, grow in a polytunnel or greenhouse to give the plants a much better chance of avoiding frost damage.

How to Plant:

1. Chit the seed potatoes for a few days in a bright, cool place until small shoots appear.

2. Fill a container orwith 10–15 cm of compost or fertile soil, or plant in a trench.

3. Plant the seed potatoes about 10 cm deep and 30 cm apart.

4. Cover with compost/soil and water well.

5. As the plants grow, earth up by adding more compost or soil around the stems to encourage more tuber production.

Caring for the Plants:

• Water regularly during dry spells, especially while the tubers are forming.

• (Optional) - Feed with a balanced fertiliser every couple of weeks to support steady growth.

• Keep the area weed-free and well-drained.

Frost Protection – Very Important:

Frost is the biggest threat to autumn-planted potatoes. Even a light frost can kill off the foliage and stop tuber development entirely.

• Cover with fleece or horticultural fabric at night, especially during cold snaps.

• Move containers under cover (into a shed, greenhouse, or polytunnel) when colder weather arrives.

• In colder regions or exposed gardens, growing in a polytunnel or greenhouse is strongly recommended.

• If frost is forecast and plants can’t be protected, it’s best to cut back the foliage and lift the crop early to prevent losses.

Harvesting:

• Harvest when the plants naturally die back or around mid to late December.

• If needed, you can lift the potatoes earlier and store them in a cool, dry place until Christmas.