When to plant Potato (Second Early) in the UK
Potato (Second Early) is planted rather than sown from seed, so the dates below are planting and harvest dates.
Planting and harvest dates by region
Potato (Second Early) is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late February to mid March | late May to late July |
| South Coast and Channel | early March to late March | early June to early August |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late February to mid March | late May to late July |
| South East and Home Counties | late March to early April | mid June to mid August |
| East Anglia | late March to mid April | late June to late August |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early April to mid April | early July to late August |
| Wales and West Coast | late March to early April | mid June to mid August |
| Northern England | mid April to late April | mid July to early September |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | mid April to early May | mid July to mid September |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early May to late May | early August to early October |
| Northern Ireland | late March to mid April | late June to late August |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late February to early March | late May to mid July |
Growing notes
Chitted tubers go in early to mid-April, about three weeks later than first earlies, and lift from July to August - bigger than a first early but still eaten fresh rather than stored. Earth up or fleece the shoots, as frosted foliage sets the crop back badly. Potatoes are traditionally their own rotation group; they are filed under roots here for app consistency.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 60 cm
- Plants per m²
- 6
- Days to maturity
- 105 days
- Yield per plant
- 1 kg
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 40 cm
- Balcony rating
- 2 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- potato blight
- slugs
- frost damage to foliage
- potato blackleg
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
- tomato
- squash
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for potato (second early).