[Plot30]

Hi everybody. Could any body tell me when is the best time to set my first earlies, second earlies and my main crop. Do u set them all at the same time or do u stagger them cheers .

[DD.]

I set them all at the same time, in fact there is a school of thought that says to plant your maincrop first as they take longer to mature. This though delays those nice early new spuds.

All being well, I'll start at the end of March with my planting.

[mumofstig]

I wasn't sure if 'setting' was putting them to chit or planting them 

[DD.]

Mmmmm. I always refer to planting my spuds as "setting" rather than "sowing" which I do with small seeds.

[mumofstig]

Now I know 

[RichardA]

I agree with DD -- end of March for setting i.e. planting, other operation is chitting to me and that started a couple of weeks ago. I also plant or set all mine at about same time so earlies come off first for early "new" potatoes and main potatoes harvested  progressively for use and last ones go into store.
I already have a few earlies in the ground in the polytunnel as well.
R

[Plot30]

Cheers for the advice will start end of march then I have already being chitting them now for two weeks
Thanks again

[Salmo]

I will put just a short row of first earlies in any day now. The rest of the first earlies, seconds and maincrop will wait until the end of March.

That short row of first earlies will be up first and need protecting from frost but there should be a few earlies to dig in late May / early June.

Planting the rest later means that by the time they emerge the risk of frost will be almost gone.