potato 'Arran Pilot'
potato - first early, Scottish basic seed potato
- We sell potatoes by weight but you can expect to receive about 25 tubers of this variety in a 2kg bag.
- Position: sun-partial shade
- Soil: fertile, well drained
- Rate of growth: fast-growing
- Harvesting period: June to July
- Hardiness: protect tubers from frost
Arran Pilot has been around since 1930 and it has resolutely remained popular over the years. This is mainly because it has an excellent tatse and is an early cropper, however it also produces high yields of white-skinned tubers that have shallow eyes and a creamy-white flesh. It is one of the best boilers available although it also makes a fine chip. With good resistance to scab and an excellent resistance to spraing, there is no wonder it has retained its title of the nations favourite garden-grown variety. - Garden care: As soon as the potato tubers have been delivered you should unpack them and start the chitting (sprouting) process. Place them in single layer in a seed tray without compost and leave in a light, cool area protected from frost. This can be started about six weeks before you intend to plant them. Early varieties can be planted out under frost fleece protection, but the later varieties should be planted after the worst frosts have passed in your area - this is generally mid March to mid April. Dig a trench 8 - 13cm (3 - 5in) deep adding a general purpose fertiliser to the bottom of the trench. Plant the potato tubers in the trenches about 30cm (12in) apart, being careful not to knock the shoots off the tubers, and keeping the shoots facing upwards. Then lightly cover with soil. As the plants get to around 20cm (8in) tall you need to bank up the soil around the plant, so the soil covers the bottom two thirds of the plant. Watering your plants well will help improve crop yield and discourage potato scab.
- Humans/Pets: Seed potatoes and plants - Harmful if eaten