Seed Potato 'Ratte'

Chitting Your Seed Potatoes

Chitting can give your seed potatoes a useful start before planting, although it's less important for maincrop potatoes than for early varieties. Stand the tubers in an egg box or shallow tray with the end showing the most eyes (the rose end) facing upwards. Keep them somewhere cool, bright and frost-free, ideally around 7–10°C.

Allow short, sturdy shoots to develop, approximately 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 a sunny position with fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Where possible, prepare the ground during autumn or winter by incorporating well-rotted garden compost or manure. Avoid growing potatoes in the same place year after year to reduce the build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases.

When to Plant

Plant from April into early May in most UK gardens, once the soil is workable and beginning to warm. Planting times will vary according to your location and the weather. Protect young shoots from late frosts.

Planting Your Potatoes

Dig trenches or individual planting holes around 10–15cm deep. Position the seed potatoes with their shoots facing upwards, approximately 40cm apart, leaving around 75cm between rows. Cover with soil and water if conditions are dry.

Earthing Up

When the 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 young shoots from frost and keeps developing tubers covered, preventing them from turning green when exposed to daylight.

Watering and Feeding

Keep the soil evenly moist during prolonged dry spells, particularly as the tubers develop. Water thoroughly rather than little and often, without allowing the ground to become waterlogged. Keep the area free from weeds and apply a suitable potato fertiliser according to the manufacturer's instructions if additional nutrients are needed.

Pests and Diseases

Check plants regularly for signs of pests and diseases, particularly potato blight during warm, humid weather. Look out for rapidly spreading brown patches on leaves and stems. If blight is confirmed, remove affected foliage promptly and dispose of it away from your compost heap. Avoid damaging developing tubers when working around the plants.

'Ratte' can be grown in large pots and potato growing bags, making it possible to enjoy this traditional salad potato even when garden space is limited.

Choosing a Container

Choose a large, deep container with good drainage. A 30–40 litre pot or growing bag can accommodate two seed potatoes, while a larger 50 litre growing sack can accommodate around three. Avoid overcrowding, which can restrict tuber development.

Planting in a Potato Growing Bag

Add approximately 15cm of good-quality peat-free compost to the bottom of the container. Position the seed potatoes with their shoots facing upwards and cover with another 10–15cm of compost. Water gently and place somewhere sunny, protecting emerging shoots from frost.

Adding Compost as Plants Grow

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

Watering and Feeding

Container-grown potatoes dry out more quickly than those in the ground. Check the compost regularly, particularly during warm weather, and water thoroughly when needed. Avoid leaving containers standing in water. Feed with a suitable potato fertiliser according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Harvesting Potatoes from Containers

When the crop is ready, carefully empty the container onto a sheet and collect the potatoes. Handle the slender tubers gently to avoid bruising or breaking them, and keep harvested potatoes out of direct sunlight.

When to Harvest

'Ratte' is commonly grown as an early maincrop salad potato, with harvesting generally taking place from late summer into early autumn. The exact timing depends on planting date, location and growing conditions. You can lift some tubers while young for fresh eating or allow the crop to mature further.

Checking Your Potatoes Are Ready

Carefully loosen the soil beside one plant to check the size of the developing tubers. 'Ratte' naturally produces relatively small, slender potatoes, so don't expect the large, rounded tubers associated with some other maincrop varieties.

How to Harvest

Use a garden fork to loosen the soil a little way from the stems, taking care not to pierce the tubers. Lift the plants gently and collect the potatoes by hand. Their slender shape makes careful harvesting particularly worthwhile.

Enjoying Your Harvest

'Ratte' is especially good enjoyed fresh, when its firm, waxy texture and rich, nutty flavour are at their best. Steam or boil the potatoes in their skins and serve simply with butter and fresh herbs.

Storing Your Potatoes

For storage, allow the crop to mature and the skins to set before lifting. Choose sound, undamaged potatoes and store them somewhere cool, dark, dry, frost-free and well ventilated. Check regularly and remove any showing signs of deterioration. Avoid exposing potatoes to light, which can cause greening.

'Ratte' is particularly valued for its firm, waxy flesh, which makes it a natural choice for dishes where the potatoes need to hold their shape.

Steaming

Cook the potatoes whole in their skins until tender, then serve with butter, fresh parsley or a little sea salt.

Boiling

Boil the tubers whole or cut larger ones into evenly sized pieces. Their waxy texture makes them ideal for serving warm with herbs or alongside seasonal vegetables.

Potato Salads

Allow the cooked potatoes to cool slightly before tossing with a light dressing, chopped herbs or spring onions. Enjoy warm or cold.

Roasting

Small 'Ratte' potatoes can also be roasted whole or halved with a little oil and seasoning. Cook until tender inside and golden on the outside.

Preparing Your Harvest

There's usually no need to peel the slender tubers. Give them a thorough scrub before cooking and leave the skins on where suitable.

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.

What Is a Salad Potato?

Salad potatoes are valued for their firm, waxy flesh, which holds together well when cooked. They are particularly good for boiling, steaming and serving warm or cold in potato salads. 'Ratte' is a traditional salad potato prized for its rich, nutty flavour and slender tubers.

What Size Will My Seed Potatoes Be?

Seed potatoes naturally vary in size and shape, even within the same variety. Some varieties, including 'Ratte', produce naturally slender or irregularly shaped tubers.

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 most beneficial for first early and second early potatoes. It can also be used for maincrop varieties, but isn't essential. Healthy seed potatoes can grow successfully without chitting.

Can I Plant Supermarket Potatoes?

No — 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.