The earliest or new potatoes of the season are a treat not to be missed. They’re small, round, smooth and delicious. These new potatoes can be harvested now and are absolutely delicious roasted in the oven or on the grill.

They are sweeter and lower in starch than their full grown counterparts, giving them a mild flavor and creamy texture that is a real treat.These potatoes are immature and far from fully developed. Their surface skin is thin and tender. If peeled, this is normally done most easily after boiling.

New potatoes do not store well, and should be harvested close to the time when they will be used. New young potatoes are harvested when peas are ripe or as the potato plants begin to flower.Their thin skin loses moisture faster than that of mature potatoes.

The formation of tubers in potatoes normally begins when plants are six to eight inches tall. Potatoes are a cool weather crop, and best tuber development occurs before weather becomes continuously hot.

New potatoes don’t store, so eat them right away. If you tried the idea of growing potatoes in a garbage can, it’s easy to harvest. Simply reach in for the best-sized spuds and ease them out.

You can harvest a few of your potatoes all summer after they flower.The trick is to make sure the soil is wet, then gently dig under and around your plant.( I use my hands as my soil is very loose when wet.)

When you first want to find out if your potatoes are ready to eat do not attack them with a garden spade or fork to dig them out or lift them. Kneel by the plant and gently work your hand or a hand held garden fork into the earth around the potato.If the soil is soft I do not do this with a fork as I find it easier just to gradually unearth one or two of the new potatoes by hand and clear the soil from around them.

Now you can see if they are a reasonable size to eat and how they are progressing. If you do this gently enough and have not detached them from the main potato plant , you can cover them up again and so long you are gentle they will carry on growing to maturity.If they are large enough to eat just take what you need for today’s meal. You can do this until you are ready to harvest your crop of potatoes.

After removing some of the potatoes for a meal make sure you plant roots are covered really well with the wet dirt. If done correctly your plant will continue to produce through the summer, then you can harvest all the potatoes when your plant starts to die.

First new potatoes are harvested before the sugars have fully converted to starch, resulting in a flesh that is crisp and waxy. Second earlies are larger and have a waxy and moist flesh (ideal for broiling and roasting). Waxy new potatoes are one of the delights of summer .Do not forget to water and earth up the potatoes that are not ready to harvest yet.

Enjoy eating your new potatoes – what ever variety you have grown, however you cook them – roasted,mashed, baked, chipped, sautéed, as fritters or simply boiled they will have a better texture and flavor  than ‘mass produced’ supermarket packaged potatoes.

The humble spud is a powerhouse of nutrition, crammed with protein, fiber, carbohydrates, zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, iodine, and vitamins C and B. And not a smidgen of fat or cholesterol. You can’t beat that!

By the way, when you eat your new potatoes, don’t forget to follow Julia Child’s mantra: “More butter”!

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Yours truly, Polly – Organic Gardener