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Lady Christl is a First Early potato variety which is very popular with amateur gardeners. The skin is relatively thin so they do not need peeling. They produce a good crop of large egg-sized potatoes which are mostly of the same size and shape.
First introduced in 1985, it has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM). It grows to a medium height so should be able to withstand average winds without being blown over.
The skin is cream coloured and the flesh is light yellow. Taste is good and fresh and the potatoes have the typical waxy texture of First Early varieties making them excellent in a salad, they also cook surprisingly well as chips.
Although they can remain in the soil several weeks after harvest is due the skin will then thicken up slightly and blight may become a problem. Lady Christl potatoes grow extremely well in containers.
Lady Christl Potato
Disease resistance appears at first to be about average. However, although Lady Christl is susceptible to late blight this is unlikely to affect them because First Early varieties of potatoes are normally harvested prior to being attacked by late blight.
Lady Christl potatoes should be grown in the normal manner for First Early potatoes. Click here for our detailed page about growing potatoes. The advice applies to growing potatoes in containers as well as in open ground.
The best time to chit / sprout Lady Christl potatoes is the first week of March in average areas of the UK.
Sprouted Seed Potatoes
Being a First Early variety it is definitely worth chitting / sprouting Lady Christl potatoes - it will give a more reliable crop although not absolutely necessary. Click here for our advice on how and why to chit / sprout potatoes.
The best time to plant out chitted / sprouted Lady Christl potatoes is about the first week of April in average areas of the UK.
Planting out on this date will give the chitted / sprouted potatoes about four weeks before they reach the surface of the soil. Whilst they are growing towards the soil surface the sprouts will be protected from frost by the surrounding soil.
By the time they do appear above the soil, the danger of frost will have passed and the sprouts will not be damaged by frost.
As with all vegetables, the time for harvest is dependent on many factors such as the weather conditions while they are growing and the general soil conditions.
On average however you can expect to start harvesting Lady Christl potatoes in the fourth week of June in average areas of the UK.
Using the above date as a guide we would advise that a week before that date you use your hand to search through the soil to harvest one or two potatoes. The term often used for this activity is known in gardening circles as "furtling"!
It does almost no damage to the remaining potatoes but allows you to examine one or two of the potatoes to ensure they are of approximately the correct size. If they are, start harvesting, if not wait for a week or two and try again.
Harvesting Lady Christl potatoes can be spread over three to four weeks. First Early potatoes do not store for very long so be sure to read our page on storing potatoes to get the most from your crop of Lady Christl potatoes.
For other second early potatoes we have tested, select one from the drop down list below.
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