Pile or mulch potatoes

At the beginning of April, the first potatoes can be planted: first the early varieties that may have been pre-sprouted in March. The soil temperature should be at least 7 °C for pre-sprouted and 10 °C for non-pre-sprouted tubers; the first harvest can then take place as early as July.

The right time to harvest potatoes depends on many factors (variety, ripening group, soil, weather and plant health), but in turn has a great influence on the taste and storability of the potatoes - and not least, of course, on the yield. As a rule of thumb, harvest the potatoes about 14 days after the above-ground haulm has died.

Early March is the time to start forcing early potatoes. This measure brings the harvest forward by up to 14 days and also leads to higher yields, partly because the pre-sprouted potatoes already have thicker tubers than those that have not been pre-sprouted when late blight sets in - which is often unavoidable. The exact choice of date depends on the planned planting date and should be four to five weeks before it (usually the second week of April).