Writing in his blog in July 2024, Monty said: “One of my yearly rituals is to dig first early potatoes on July 8th, my birthday.
“The harvest varies hugely depending on when I planted them and the subsequent weather, but tradition demands I lift enough for a celebratory meal.”
Monty revealed that he now only grows first earlies as the risk of blight is “so great”.
“Potato blight is a fungal disease that rots first the haulms and then, as it is washed into the soil by rain, the tubers making them unstorable if not inedible,” he said.
“The fungi develop very fast when the temperature is high and the air humid for 23 hours and these conditions are becoming increasingly common in July.
“The crop can be saved if the foliage is removed immediately the tell-tale chocolate coloured circular areas of the leaves is noticed – they quickly spread and collapse.”
Read more:
The Gardener’s World presenter advised Brits to remove all foliage and compost it, and ensure good soil is covering tubers.
Gardeners should wait for a dry day before harvesting the crop, with Monty advising that the first and second batches are much less likely to succumb to blight, as they mature faster and are ready earlier in the season.
The 70-year-old took to Instagram on his birthday this year to show off his potato harvest, posing with a basket.