Brighton garden centre to host potato gardening workshops

The 15-minute “spud-tastic” sessions, organised by Dobbies Garden Centres, will give gardeners of all abilities the chance to learn from horticultural experts.

The sessions aim to encourage people who live near its stores to give "growing your own" a go, whether they are a novice, a seasoned gardener or an enthusiast.

Two sessions are taking place at Dobbies’ Brighton branch in Warren Road next month which will unveil the history of the spud and information about different parts of the vegetable.

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People will learn about the different types of potato varieties, expert tips on how to care for and protect crops and advice on ensuring a successful potato harvest.

Children will also gain an understanding of how potatoes grow, what gardeners need to help them thrive and when it is best to sow and harvest them.

Children are also invited to take part in the workshops (Image: Dobbies Garden Centres)

Dobbies’ plant buyer Nigel Lawton said: “From Maris Piper to Potato Charlotte, there is a wide variety of potatoes to choose from that you can grow for yourself at home.

“All you need is a potato sack or tub, filled with a quarter of good quality peat-free compost, three seed potatoes evenly spaced on top of the soil, covered with another layer of compost and then water regularly to keep the compost moist.

“Your potatoes will be ready to be harvested in as little as 12 weeks.”

A session will take place at Dobbies’ Brighton store at 10.30am on Saturday, February 3, with a “Little Seedlings club”, designed for children aged between four and ten, the following morning spotlighting the humble vegetable.

Potatoes are the most important food crop globally, after rice, wheat and corn, and were named as the UK’s most popular vegetable at the end of last year.