Brief Guide To... Potatoes

Scientific name : Solanum tuberosum

Brief Guide To : potatoes freshly harvested

Brief Guide To... Potatoes

Here's your brief guide to potatoes! They are one of the most important staples in the human diet. They're cheap, full of nutrients, easy to grow and fun to harvest. When it comes to recipes, the humble potato can find itself invited to almost any dinner occasion.

The potato plant can grow up to a metre tall and it's usually ready for harvesting once the flowers bloom. But you don't need much space to grow potatoes, a container or grow bag will do the job for a few chips, Sunday roast or buttery mash to go with some bangers.

Not only are potatoes versatile, you can take your pick from a variety of shapes, textures and colours. Try out the familiar russet and yellow potatoes or go for curious reds or the more elusive purple potatoes to brighten up the family menu.

Steeped in history and grown around the world by everyone from young children to potato farmers, there's more to potatoes than just growing them.

Adam Smith, in his classic book 'The Wealth of Nations' 1776, claimed people didn't eat enough vegetables which led to ill health and a less efficient workforce.

He believed a healthy nation would create a healthy economy, and that people who ate potatoes were in fact:

"the strongest men and the most beautiful women"