Potato 'Maris Bard'

'Maris Bard' is a quintessential first early potato variety that has earned the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its reliable performance in UK soils. This variety produces smooth-skinned, white-fleshed tubers with an oval shape and shallow eyes. Known for its quick maturation, it is often one of the first potatoes harvested in the British gardening calendar, typically ready by June if planted in March. The texture is relatively waxy upon harvest, making it an excellent choice for boiling as a new potato or for use in summer salads. It is highly resistant to common scab and shows reasonable tolerance to drought. As a tender vegetable, it requires protection from late frosts. It thrives in fertile, slightly acidic soil that has been enriched with well-rotted organic matter. The plants produce upright, medium-height leafy haulm with small white flowers. For the best yield, ensure regular watering during dry spells as the tubers begin to swell in late spring and early summer.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.

Hardiness: H2 — down to 1°C.

Flowering: May, Jun.