Potato ‘Swift’

Botanical Name: Solanum tuberosum Lifecycle: Annual Heritage: Scotland, 1994 ‘Swift’ is an early harvest waxy Potato with a round shape, cream flesh and white skin. It’s suitable for boiling, salads, casseroles and soups. Popular for being a fast maturing potato variety that tastes and looks great. It is reliable with good yields and great for those who want to grow potatoes in pots or grow bags. Swift was first released in northern Scotland in 1994. Early Crop: They are an early season potato that’s best enjoyed fresh and generally unsuitable for storing for long periods. Harvest: About 60 – 70 days after planting. It rarely produces flowers but is harvested when any flowers are fully open and the foliage is still green. SOWING: Spring - Early Summer Sow Direct Seed potatoes are typically chitted in preparation of planting, which involves letting their roots start to sprout. To chit your seed potatoes spread them out in a light place but shielded from direct sunlight in a dry, cool, frost free area. Let the roots develop for about 3-6 weeks until they have reached 2cm in length. Our seed potatoes may have started to chit already and be starting to show root sprouts when you receive them. Seed potatoes are best sown in spring through early summer. Northern areas can plant potatoes from mid winter, whereas southern areas should wait for frosts to have passed before planting. Seed potatoes are best sown in rows directly in place approx. 25cm apart and 15cm deep, with rows spaced approx. 60cm apart. Sow your seed potatoes with their root sprouts pointing upwards and lightly cover with soil carefully as to not damage the formed sprouts. 7°c - 20°c 21 - 42 days When your potato plants reach 5cm - 10cm in height begin mounding soil around the plants to protect potatoes from greening and insect damage, and continue mounding as they grow taller. 25cm - 30cm 60 - 70 days Tender TIPS: Potatoes grow best in well-draining sandy soils. Poorly draining soils are more likely to produced diseased potato tubers. Keep the soil moist and ensure your potato plants are kept free of weeds. Trenching for your potato rows and only filling them in lightly at planting will allow you to use any leftover soil for mounding them up as your potato plants grow. As the stems start to push through cover them a little more each week until the mound has reached about 20cm in height above the soil. The more of the growing stem you have beneath the soil enables more opportunity for the plant to produce potatoes and a bigger crop. Record your sowing/planting date and harvest once the potato plants have reached maturity according to the tips in the description above. Carefully dig out your potatoes with a fork or spade, and eat any potatoes that get speared first as they won’t keep for long. Once harvested store your potatoes in a cool, dark place to retain their freshness and eat and enjoy. PACKET SIZE: HOME GARDEN ($8.50) 750g