• You will have a small purple seed potato and a bag of compost

 

• This potato has no name yet and you have been asked to suggest a suitable name for this type of potato. He’s a brand new variety and you are the first to try and grow them!

 

• When you get your potato home put it on an empty egg box on a windowsill. Somewhere cool, dry and bright.

 

• It will grow small shoots from the eyes and is ready to plant when these are about 2 or 3cm long. (around the end of March) *Put a few small holes in the bottom of your bag of compost

 

• Open your bag of compost and take two thirds out. Put this in another container nearby as you will need it for ‘earthing up’ later.

 

• Roll the sides of the bag down

 

• Set your potato in the bag with the shoots pointing upwards and cover with compost (about10cm)

 

• When your green shoots start to appear and become about 10cm tall cover them over with more compost but let some leaves stay poking out at the top.

 

• Roll the sides of the bag up a little

 

• Repeat this ‘earthing up’ again when the green shoots have grown up again and then when the bag is fully unrolled allow the shoots to grow tall

 

• Keep your bag well-watered and protect from any bad frosts (set it somewhere sheltered if there’s snow)

 

• You will check for small potatoes in the middle of July and you can harvest them mid to late July

 

• They will not be big potatoes but they should be tasty

 

• Send us pictures of your potatoes growing, of the harvest and of anything you make to eat with them in the end

 

• Enjoy growing your purple potatoes and thank you for your help with this project! 

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