Potatoes favourite for green fingers

Potatoes are the most popular crop to grow for gardeners and allotment holders, according to the first survey of its kind since the Second World War.

Thousands of harvests have been logged by scientists from the University of Sheffield in the Myharvest project, which aims to reveal the most plentiful fruit and vegetables grown across the UK.

The national “grow your own” survey, is the first since the Dig for Victory campaign in the war, researchers said.

The results reveal that the most plentiful crops by weight are potatoes, courgettes, apples and tomatoes. Strawberries are the most productive crop in terms of how much growers get from a given area.

Potatoes are grown by most people, followed by courgettes and French or climbing beans, says the research, which runs until the end of March 2019.