Celebrating Burns Night with a traditional feast of haggis, neeps, and tatties is a cherished tradition, and there’s immense satisfaction in knowing you’ve grown these essential accompaniments yourself. Mastering how to grow turnips and potatoes ensures a truly authentic and fresh experience for this annual Scottish commemoration. Whether you call them neeps and tatties or simply turnips and potatoes, cultivating these root vegetables at home is a rewarding endeavor that connects you directly to your food source and the spirit of the celebration.
What are neeps and tatties? Neeps and tatties are traditional Scottish accompaniments to haggis, particularly for Burns Night celebrations, referring to mashed turnips (neeps) and mashed potatoes (tatties). To grow them for this event, turnips should be sown in July/August and harvested in autumn, while maincrop potatoes are planted in April for an autumn harvest, ensuring fresh produce for your January feast.
Growing your own produce offers a plethora of benefits beyond just the Burns Night table. It ensures the freshest possible ingredients, free from unwanted chemicals, and provides a deeper understanding of the food system. For beginners, starting with robust root vegetables like turnips and potatoes can be a highly successful and encouraging entry into the world of home gardening, laying the groundwork for more ambitious projects.
For turnips, often referred to as ‘neeps’ in Scotland, selecting the right variety is crucial for a winter harvest. Maincrop varieties are ideal, as they grow slower but store exceptionally well through cooler months. These members of the brassica family thrive in reasonably fertile, slightly alkaline soil and prefer a sunny spot with cool, moisture-retentive conditions, making good soil preparation essential for success.
To ensure your turnips are ready for Burns Night, plan your sowing carefully. Seeds should be directly sown into the ground in July or August, allowing enough time for maturity before the deep cold sets in. Space your rows about 30cm apart and, once seedlings emerge, thin them to 15cm between plants to prevent root damage and ensure optimal growth. Typically, they will be ready for harvest in around 10 weeks.
Proper maintenance is key for a successful turnip crop. Consistent watering is vital, especially during dry spells after sowing, to prevent the roots from splitting, which can compromise their quality. Keeping the area well-weeded is also crucial, as weeds compete for precious nutrients and moisture, hindering the development of healthy, round turnips.
Maincrop turnips sown in summer are typically harvested in autumn, depending on the specific variety. It’s important not to let your turnips grow too large, as they can become woody and lose their tender texture. Aim to harvest them when they are about the size of a golf ball or tennis ball, and always ensure they are dug up before severe frost sets in, as they are not particularly winter hardy. Store them in a cool, frost-free environment, ideally covered in sand or coir compost.
Moving on to potatoes, or ‘tatties,’ for Burns Night, late-season maincrop varieties are the perfect choice. Look for types known for good storage capabilities and a floury or creamy texture, which are ideal for mashing and baking. Popular choices include blight-resistant varieties like ‘Sarpo Mira,’ ‘Maris Piper,’ or ‘Golden Wonder,’ ensuring a hearty accompaniment to your meal.
While potatoes can take up significant space, they are surprisingly adaptable. For gardeners with limited room, growing potatoes in large pots, potato sacks, or even sturdy containers is a highly effective method. As the potato plants grow, gradually pile soil up around the stems in a process known as ‘earthing up,’ which encourages the development of more tubers beneath the surface.
When planning your potato planting, purchase maincrop seed potatoes in late winter. These small, stored tubers are ready to be planted out around the end of April. Choose deep, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter like compost, ideally incorporated the previous autumn or winter. Preparing the ground in January by loosening the soil and working in well-rotted manure will provide an excellent foundation.
Unlike early potato varieties that benefit from chitting—encouraging sprouts before planting—maincrop types are in the ground much longer and typically do not require this step. Plant your tubers approximately 15cm deep and 40cm apart, with rows spaced about 75cm apart. This spacing allows ample room for growth and easy access for maintenance throughout the season.
Once the first potato shoots emerge, begin the earthing-up process. Draw soil around and over the shoots, leaving only the top 10cm visible. Repeat this several times as the stems grow. This practice not only encourages more potatoes to form but also prevents any developing tubers from being exposed to sunlight and turning green, which can make them toxic.
Watering maincrop potatoes effectively is crucial. Focus on consistent watering later in the summer when the tubers are actively forming. Overwatering earlier in the season tends to encourage leaf growth at the expense of tuber development. A good soaking when flowers begin to appear in late summer is particularly beneficial, ensuring robust potato growth.
Potatoes are generally ready for harvesting after the flowering stems and leaves have naturally died down, typically through to October. While you can leave them in the ground until needed, be mindful that slugs can cause significant damage over time. Harvest on a dry day, gently brush off any excess soil, and store them in hessian or paper sacks in a cool, dry place. With proper storage, your home-grown tatties can last for months, well beyond Burns Night.
Successfully cultivating your own neeps and tatties for Burns Night is an incredibly rewarding experience, offering both fresh, flavorful produce and a deeper connection to tradition. By following these clear guidelines, you will master how to grow turnips and potatoes and enjoy a truly homemade feast that honors Scotland’s national bard.
