[Salmo]

I shall just plant a few earlies about mid-March and then wait until the end of the month or into April to plant the rest.

In this area at least those earlies will have good tops by early May and will need protecting against frost. The rest should only just be emerging and frost will not matter.

If potatoes are chitted they will not harm if planting is delayed by bad weather. If they are not chitted at planting time they will not start into growth until the soil is warm enough to break their domnancy. Hence the importance if chitting if you aim to plant early.

[Growster...]

I'm chitting three types, 'Charlotte', which have the smallest shoots, 'Annabelle', which are slightly larger, and 'Lady Christl', which are romping away!

They'll be going in probably at the end of this month, over a week or so depending on the weather, with 'Lady C' first, then 'Annabelle', then 'Charlotte', which are really seconds anyway.

We've also got loads of old sheets etc, as we got clobbered by a late frost last year...

[mumofstig]

Tis weird - here!
I have Lady C, Charlotte, Desiree and the 10 Free Bluebelles - Lady C have the smallest chits and the main crop Blues are the largest!
All in the same conditions 

[homegrown]

My lady c chits are the smallest I think
Pj desiree kestrel all ahead
Rocket have took the longest by far only just got small shoots

[Cake Lady]

My Lady C are also my smallest, with Kestrel and Charlotte romping ahead - lol

[pdblake]

I'm going to put the earlies in bins in the garden around mid-March, then the seconds and mains the first week of the Easter holidays (when I'm off work), which is the last week of March this year.

[Benandbill]

Getting off the subject of timing for spud planting slightly, I've had mine in my garden shed window for a week now with no sign of a chit.  Maybe frost has got to them.  Are there any visible signs that the frost has killed a seed potato or do I have to plant them anyway and hope for the best?  If I can tell they're no good obviously I won't bother.

[mumofstig]

They get squishy/squashy and if left long enough ooze smelly gunge 

[Benandbill]

Hmm, makes you wonder about some of the quality of stuff that goes on sale doesn't it.  I'm sure I've handled squishy squashy spuds in shops.

[superpete]

I've gone for an early start at the beginning of March - one row of Arran Pilot and one of Foremost, under fleece, under cloche.

From the book "Know and Grow Vegetables"

All varieties should only be planted when soil conditions are fit and when the soil temperature at a depth of 4" exceeds 43 degrees on more than three consecutive days.

[Kirpi]

Cornwall here - fellow plotholders have put earlies, seconds and main in this last weekend. I will follow in a week or so; time for a late frost yet; even down here.

[Sparkyrog]

Somerset here and we can still get frosts in may !

[DD.]

Leicestershire here and a couple of years ago we had them in June.

[allot2learn]

Manchester is forecast -6c next week.
My spuds are staying in the cold greenhouse under fleece 'till the end of the month.

[JayG]

According to my local weather station the soil temperature here is currently 4C - the minimum soil temperature for planting seed potatoes to avoid possible problems is 6-8C (depending on where you look.)

I have a potato eelworm (PCN) problem in my soil which means I need to grow the spuds as quickly as possible, so given the forecast for the weekend and next week I certainly won't be planting mine on St Patrick's day as the soil temperature is likely to be even less than it is now.