When To Plant Second Early Potatoes

The best time to plant second early potatoes is in early to mid-April, roughly two to three weeks after you’ve put in your first earlies.
 
If you’re new to growing spuds, second early potatoes are the perfect middle ground between quick-cropping first earlies and the heavy-yielding maincrop varieties.
 
Knowing when to plant second early potatoes really comes down to your local climate, soil temperature, and whether you can protect them from late frosts.
 
In this post, we’ll break down the ideal timing, the signs your soil is ready, and how to stagger your planting for a longer harvest.
 
Let’s dig in and get those second early potatoes off to a flying start.
 

When to Plant Second Early Potatoes: The Exact Window

For most UK and US gardeners, the answer to when to plant second early potatoes is a straightforward April window.
 
You should aim to plant second early potatoes about two weeks after your first earlies, which usually means mid-April in milder regions.
 
If you live in a colder area or have heavy clay soil that stays wet, you can safely delay planting second early potatoes until late April or even early May.
 
The key is that soil temperatures should be consistently above 6°C (43°F) before you plant second early potatoes in the ground.
 
Cold, waterlogged soil will cause your seed potatoes to rot rather than sprout, so patience really pays off here.
 

1. Soil Temperature Matters More Than the Calendar

When you’re deciding when to plant second early potatoes, ignore the date and check the soil temperature first.
 
Pop a soil thermometer into the ground at a depth of about 10cm (4 inches) and check it each morning for a few days.
 
If it’s reading 7°C or higher and the forecast doesn’t show a hard frost, that’s your green light to plant second early potatoes.
 
You can warm the soil up faster by covering it with black polythene or a cloche for a couple of weeks before planting.
 
This simple trick lets you plant second early potatoes a bit earlier than your neighbours, giving you an earlier harvest.
 

2. Frost Risk Is Your Biggest Enemy

The main reason you can’t plant second early potatoes too early is the danger of a late frost killing the emerging shoots.
 
Second early potatoes will happily sit in the soil without sprouting for a while, but once those green shoots appear, frost will turn them black.
 
If you want to plant second early potatoes before your last frost date, you need to be ready to protect the foliage.
 
You can cover the shoots with horticultural fleece, newspaper, or even just mound more soil over them, known as earthing up.
 
By checking your local frost dates and adjusting when to plant second early potatoes accordingly, you’ll avoid that heartbreak.
 

3. Chitting Gives You a Head Start

About six weeks before you plan to plant second early potatoes, you should start chitting them indoors.
 
Stand the seed potatoes upright in an egg carton or seed tray, with the end that has the most eyes facing upwards.
 
Place them in a bright, cool, frost-free spot like a windowsill or a spare bedroom that doesn’t get too warm.
 
By the time you’re ready to plant second early potatoes, they’ll have strong green sprouts about 2cm long.
 
These pre-sprouted second early potatoes will establish faster and mature up to three weeks earlier than unchitted ones.
 

How to Plant Second Early Potatoes Once You Know the Timing

Once you’ve nailed down when to plant second early potatoes, the actual planting is simple and very rewarding.
 
You can plant second early potatoes in the ground, in raised beds, or even in large containers if space is tight.
 
The method is basically the same across every approach, so let’s run through it step by step.
 

1. Prepare the Soil Before You Plant Second Early Potatoes

Dig a trench about 10-15cm deep, and add a generous amount of well-rotted compost or manure to the bottom.
 
Potatoes are hungry plants, so the more organic matter you give them, the better your second early potatoes will perform.
 
Space your seed potatoes about 30cm apart in the trench, with rows spaced about 60cm apart.
 
Cover them over with soil, but don’t worry about being too neat; you’ll be earthing them up later anyway.
 
If you’re planting second early potatoes in containers, use a 30-40cm pot with drainage holes and plant one seed potato per pot.
 

2. Watering and Earthing Up After You Plant Second Early Potatoes

Once your second early potatoes have sprouted and the foliage reaches about 15cm tall, it’s time to earth them up.
 
This simply means drawing soil up around the stems, leaving just the top few leaves exposed.
 
You’ll repeat this process a couple of times over the following weeks, and this does two amazing things for second early potatoes.
 
First, it protects the developing tubers from sunlight, which would turn them green and bitter.
 
Second, it encourages more tuber formation along the buried stem, so you get a bigger harvest from your second early potatoes.
 
Keep the soil consistently moist, especially once flowers appear, as inconsistent watering causes misshapen tubers.
 

3. Harvesting Your Second Early Potatoes

You’ll typically be harvesting second early potatoes about 10-12 weeks after planting, which lands you around late June or July.
 
The classic trick is to wait until the flowers open or just start to drop, that’s your sign the tubers are ready.
 
You don’t have to dig them all at once, just harvest second early potatoes as and when you need them for dinner.
 
Gently feel around in the soil with your hands to pull out a few tubers, leaving the rest to keep growing.
 
Freshly dug second early potatoes have thin, delicate skins and a waxy, buttery texture that’s perfect for boiling and salads.
 

Staggered Planting: Extend Your Harvest of Second Early Potatoes

Instead of planting all your second early potatoes on the same day, try staggering them every two weeks.
 
This is a brilliant way to keep a steady supply of new potatoes flowing from mid-summer into early autumn.
 
For example, plant your first batch of second early potatoes in mid-April, then another batch in early May.
 
This staggered approach to when to plant second early potatoes means you’ll have young, tasty spuds for weeks on end.
 
It’s a simple change that turns a single harvest into a prolonged feast.
 

Popular Varieties of Second Early Potatoes

If you’re unsure which varieties to grow, why not plant second early potatoes like Maris Peer, Charlotte, or Jazzy this season?
 
Charlotte is a real favourite for its nutty flavour and lovely yellow flesh when you plant second early potatoes in April.
 
Maris Peer is another fantastic choice, known for its smooth skin and reliable yields even in less-than-perfect soil.
 
These varieties are perfect when you plant second early potatoes because they’re quick to mature but still hold their shape well.
 
Mixing a couple of different varieties when you plant second early potatoes also spreads your risk against pests and diseases.
 

So, When to Plant Second Early Potatoes?

The best time to plant second early potatoes is undeniably in mid-April for most gardeners, or as soon as soil temps hit 7°C.
 
You can plant second early potatoes a little later in cold regions, but don’t delay past early May if you expect a crop.
 
Chitting your seed potatoes and protecting against frost will help you plant second early potatoes with total confidence.
 
With the right timing and a bit of care, your second early potatoes will reward you with a delicious, abundant harvest.
 
Happy growing, and enjoy every buttery bite of those wonderful homegrown spuds.