Earliest date for planting new potatoes

I haven't really ever heard of anyone planting out before the middle of March here, unless it has been an exceptionally warm spring.

Here in the UK, it's been a very wet and cold start to the year; if it's been the same with you then I probably wouldn't risk putting them out much earlier.

I usually start mine in January, however theyre grown in 35ltr post in my greenhouse until I can put them outside, normally in March.

I`ve always found it odd that `self sown` potatoes - the ones that are invariably missed when digging up last years crop,come up a lot later than newly  sown potatoes. I recon that  giving your chitting crop a good start with the chipping half to an inch long is about right to plant. For outdoor sown the timing before risk of heavy frosts should be considered.

I put everything in the ground during first two weeks of March as long as it's not freezing or likely to be. It takes a while for the haulme to appear and I earth it all up with an added layer of bark, so frosts won't be a problem.  Even the volunteers work their way around frosts and I'm getting a crop even now. Maybe I'm lucky.