Careers at JBA

JBA Seed Potatoes are currently recruiting new members of staff to join our seed potato business based at Annan.

We have a selection of jobs available at the moment and we would invite you to contact us by email with your CV or if you have never been employed you can still apply by telling us about how keen you are to join us.

All jobs will be the standard 38hour week and wages will be paid weekly direct to your bank account.


Office admin/Sales/Secretary position is available to the correct person who can demonstrate the skills required. The successful applicant should be computer literate, have a good telephone manner, be able to process telephone sales, take messages, organise orders to be despatched and take control of general running of the office.(Job Term)Position Full Time.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

Sales and invoicing position. This job will involve processing all sales via mail order, telephone and website sales. You will be in charge of credit notes and anything else related to the taking of sales and invoicing. (Job Term) Part time 6months but may lead to full time work.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

PHP programmer and developer - A skilled PHP programmer is required to maintain and expand our current presence on the internet. You will be required to update and improve our company structure by improving all aspects of our websites and admin areas. Necessary skills include PHP/MySQL and jQuery, with a knowledge of OpenCart systems a bonus. Contact kit@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk


Potato Roguer - Student or skilled potato roguers are required for the summer season. This season is normally June - August and provides a good income to seasonal workers. If you need to learn how to rogue then you can apply to the SAC for the course http://www.sac.ac.uk/news/currentnews/12n27potatoroguers
Once you have passed the course or can prove you have the ability to rogue then you can inform us and we can add you to our list of seasonal workers.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

Head Tractor Person - Being a tractor driver at JBA will involve being able to work all types of potato machinery from de-stoners to Harvesters. We also do all of our own spraying so a relevant spray license would be ideal. When not on tractor duties you will be working with potatoes in the stores and be the head foreman in charge of a team of workers in the grading and packaging section.
.(Job Term)Position Full Time.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

General Farm Worker/Potato Worker - You will be tasked with all normal duties of a farm worker on a potato farm. Your duties will involve grading potatoes, harvesting potatoes, planting potatoes and learning how to work all the machinery involved with those duties.
.(Job Term)Position Full Time.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

Mail Order Worker - JBA has one of the largest mail order potato businesses in the UK. We are constantly looking for new recruits to join our expanding team. Your job will involve being able to pick and pack orders received by us and making sure the correct products are sent to the correct customer.
(Job Term) Part time 6months but may lead to full time work.
Contact jobs@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

Kondor Seed Potatoes

JBA Seed Potatoes are pleased to announce that we have a very limited amount of Kondor first generation seed potatoes(minitubers) available for planting this year.

There are only 75 tubers available this year of this world record holding variety. Kondor holds the record for the worlds heaviest potato as set by Peter Glazebrook in 2011. That giant spud weighed in at over 10lbs.

This may be your only chance to get brand new stock of this variety so make the most of it. http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/buy-seed-potatoes/maincrop-seed-potatoes?product_id=20817

British Potato Championships 2012

There is a new championship for the 2012 season.

JBA Seed Potatoes are pleased to announce that the British Potato Championships will be taking place at next years Causey Show.

There will be £100 on offer for 1st prize in 3 seperate classes.

Class one is for a plate of 5 white potatoes.
Class two is for a plate of 5 part coloured potatoes
Class three is for a plate of 5 full coloured potatoes.

The winner of each class will then be put forward to the finals and the best plate will win the grower the title of the British Potato Champion.

Causey show is going from strength to strength and we think it is the ideal place for the championships.

There will be more details to follow very soon.

JBA World Potato Championships 2012

JBA seed potatoes have been confirmed as the new sponsors of the World potato championships that are held at the Dundee Flower show.

There is some major prize money on offer at the show with £250 on offer for 1st prize.

To enter the class you need to have 6 varieties of 6 potatoes on 6 separate plates. The exhibits really do look well at this event and we would encourage people to try and enter this show.

Current world champion Sherie Plumb who is supplied by JBA seed potatoes travels all the way from Essex just to get the chance to exhibit at this major show.

At the same show we will also be sponsoring the Scottish championships. To enter this class you must exhibit 4 varieties with 4 potatoes per plate.

There will be more information about this to follow so stay tuned.

JBA exhibition potato mix

JBA exhibition standard compost mix

Our latest venture is into the world of compost. I have over the last 2 years mixed up all my own potato mixes to grow exhibition potatoes in which I found to be very costly and time consuming. So my answer is to offer the complete mix as used by the top show growers in the country.

My mix is 80litres of Irish moss peat that is finely graded and screened between a size of 5-15mm so that the mixture allows air through it without compacting. To the 80 litres I add 400grams of TEV 4 fertilizer and 400grams of my finely powdered calcified seaweed alternative.

This is the perfect mix for growing your show potatoes in.

We will offer this in pallet deals or it can be purchased at an individual bag rate.

50% extra free this year in our taster packs

This year we have gone for packs of ten tubers instead of our usual 5 tuber packs.

The best news about it is that we have held them at the same price as last years packs of 5 at £1.99.

So you will be getting the same top quality Scottish seed potatoes but at an even greater discounted price of £1.99 for ten tubers.

So far our pre orders have almost matched what we sold by the same time in December of last year so the demand is bigger than ever.

We have also launched a new looking site with a quicker shopping system and speedier checkout system.

We hope you find all the changes to your liking.

World Champion Seed Suppliers Again

The 2011 World potato champion is once again Sherie Plumb and family.

They had an extra special display this year that consisted of Amour,Bonnie,Sherine,Winston,Kestrel and Blue Belle which were all supplied by JBA Seed Potatoes.

This has been another great year for our seed potatoes with Sherie also winning first with Winston at the NVS Nationals.

Sherie was also first in the NVS Amour Class.

The NVS Sherine class was also won by Sherie.

First in the coloured potato class was new grower Owain Roberts with a great plate of Kestrel grown in a brand new growing medium supplied by Medwyn Williams and in our new polypots which now have extra holes in them to allow extra uptake of nutrients and allow excess water to get out of the bag.

Sherie had a second prize in the coloured potato class with a great plate of Purple Eyed Seedling.

Other prize winners were Eric Craik with a few seconds and thirds in a fiercly contested competition with some NVS Sherine and NVS Amour. Eric had a new system this year that covered the potato bags and stopped too much rain water getting into the polypots. He certainly had a great skin finish on them.

All seed was supplied by ourselves and has proven to get the results no matter what part of the country you live in.

JBA seed potatoes win again

Another good weekend for our potatoes at the National championships of the NVS.

In the white potato class Sherie Plumb won again with a great set of Winston. She was closely followed by a new young Welsh breeder called Owain(Wmff as he is known on his blog)who grew his potatoes in a brand new peat mixture that has been formulated by Medwyn Williams. This new peat mixture sounds to be the perfect growing medium for show potatoes.

In the coloured potato section Owain won with what is said to be some of the best Kestrel ever seen anywhere.

Both of the JBA sponsored potato classes were won by Sherie Plumb and family. They won the NVS Amour and NVS Sherine potato classes.

Overall it was one of the best shows ever for potatoes and the fact that all the winners are supplied by JBA seed potatoes just goes to prove how good our seed is.

We would like to thank all of our customers and wish them continued success.

The Final Weekend To Order Christmas Potatoes

This weekend is your final chance to purchase autumn planting potatoes online from us. Our last posting day for them is Monday so be quick and buy them before we sell out.

Buy Christmas Potatoes

JBA wins GOLD medal at Gardening Scotland 2011

JBA won our first ever Gold medal at Gardening Scotland 2011.

This was the first time ever that we had put on a display and we were delighted with the results.

JBA at Gardening Scotland 2011

I have been busy at Gardening Scotland putting up what is believed to be the biggest display of potatoes ever put forward at a show at this time of year.

My friend Ian Stocks is a master at the dark art of staging exhibits and I learnt alot from him over the past 2 days.

Watch my video and see what you think.

Royal Potatoes Harvested 29/4/11

With today being the royal wedding day I decided to harvest some Swift potatoes that had been growing in the greenhouse during the winter. The crop is not huge but they have been harvested a bit too soon and there were plenty more tubers forming which would have been great in a few weeks time.




Anyway here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL9xYyJ-U7M

You can comment on them here http://growingpotatoes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php/315-Royal-Potatoes-Harvested-29-4-11

I also have a few photos of them just waiting to be washed a devoured.

JBA Eating Potatoes In The Shops Now!!!

We loaded up another 24 tonne load of eating potatoes today that will be sent out all over the north east of England. We send a load every week over to that area so keep your eyes peeled for our potatoes in the shops.

This is how we transport them across to Tyneside so that they can then be unloaded in the warehouse and sent out all over the north east.

Here are the bags with our logo on so you know that they are from us.

If you would like to purchase eating potatoes from us then you are in luck as we have just started to mail them direct to households. CLICK HERE to go to our selection of quality Scottish eating potatoes

Powdered Calcified Seaweed from JBA

For years people have asked for this product and we are now pleased to bring you this specialist product,

It is now available from us in 20kg sack. http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/hessian-sacks-and-sundries/powdered-calcified-seaweed-p300.html

25% OFF ALL PRICES

We are now offering 25% off all purchases at the following sign up page http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/newsletter_offers.html

Potato Day This Sunday The 6th of March

Remeber that we are having our annual potato day at Gardenwise of Dumfries this Sunday between 10am and 4pm.

Medwyn Williams will be on hand to give advice and talks about all things vegetable.

Planting Potatoes

Planting Potatoes in the garden


Growing potatoes in soil is still the most common and popular way to grow potatoes.



There are 5 different types of soil throughout the UK and some potatoes grow better in different soil types than others.



LOAM- A loamy soil is the ideal blend of clay and sand. It has the advantage of two types and none of their disadvantages. The presence of sand allows the water to percolate through quickly and the presence of the clay helps to keep the soil moist.



CLAY- This a smooth silky soil to touch and even when it is well drained it is inclined to be cold and wet. This type of soil should be worked in the autumn and left over the winter to break down.



SANDY- A sandy soil is light and easy to cultivate with a fork. It is a warm soilbecause it accepts the sun's rays much more easily. Sandy soils require plenty of organic matter as they are low in plant nutrients.



PEATY SOIL- Some times referred to as mossland peaty soil can become waterlogged and contain very little plant food but plenty organic matter. Fertilizers must be used with this soil type to maximise results.



LIMEY SOILS- Chalky or limey soil is usually shallow. It is lacking in humus and plant food, such soils are dry and sticky and unpleasant to cultivate when wet. Plants growing in these conditions can often suffer from stunted growth and lime induced chlorosis. Growing potatoes in limey soils is not highly recommended.



(See "Planting Potatoes")

To prepare your soil you should try and add organic matter in the back end of the previous year and this will give it time to break down over the winter and will add essential feeding to your soil.



Most potatoes are planted in the UK after mid March so as to avoid frosts, although this is not always the case. In the South of England it is possible to plant potatoes from the middle of February, whereas in the North of Scotland it is normal to plant potatoes in mid April.



To work out how many potatoes you will need for your garden or allotment, I would normally say for first earlies that you would give them a square foot per potato, and for second earlies and maincrops you should give them a square foot and a half per potato.



That should now make it easy for you to measure the area you wish to plant with potatoes and work out how many potatoes are needed.



Your potato bed should be turned over at least 1 week before you wish to plant your potatoes. A good garden fork can make this job a lot easier or maybe you can borrow or hire a rotovator.



Dig a simple trench the width of your shovel and 6inches deep before adding some fertilizer to the bottom of the trench. There are many good fertilizers that you can buy but make sure they are proper balanced potato fertilizers, as a general purpose fertilizer will not do the job.



Once you have added the fertilizer to the trench then simply fork the fertilizer into the bottom of the trench so that the soil is nice and loose below where the potatoes will be situated. Now that the trench is prepared you can add the potatoes to the trench.



Space your first earlies about 8-10 inches apart. Second earlies can be space 10-12 inches apart. Maincrops can be planted 12-15inches apart. Once you have planted your potatoes you can simply back fill the trench until the soil is level once again.



As the potato haulms grow you can ridge up the sides of the trench so that it forms a peak. This will allow the potatoes to grow upwards and prevent them from turning green and inedible.

Potato Day 2011 At Gardenwise

We will again be holding our annual potato day at Gardenwise of Dumfries. Gardenwise is one of the top garden centres in the area and offers everything you could need for your garden. They will have the biggest display of varieties in the Region on Sunday the 6th of March.

Medwyn Williams MBE and 11 times gold medal winner at Chelsea will again be attending on the Sunday to give a talk about how to grow top quality vegetables.

It should be another great day there and we are all looking forward to it.

The doors open at 10am and there will be talks going on through the day and you will be able to ask any of us any questions that you may have.

My Favourite Potatoes

Here are a list of my favourite potatoes. You might never of heard of some of these but they are well worth a try.
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/arran-pilot-p22.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/blue-belle-p243.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/british-queen-p119.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/blue-kestrel-p282.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/charlotte-p34.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/dunluce-p17.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/harlequin-p342.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/purple-eyed-seedling-p279.html
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/express-shopping-list/ulster-classic-p205.html

I will be growing these potatoes this year in my garden and I am looking forward to the results.

Seed Potato Catalogue - Boiling Potatoes

Seed Potato Catalogue - Boiling Potatoes

Boiling potatoes is still the main use for any potato. All first earlies are suited to boiling straight from your garden. Here are a selection hand picked by us for you to grow in your garden. Read our guide about boiling potatoes. More info...
Wash your potatoes and give them a good scrub so that you remove all dirt from the skins. If there are any skin imperfections then you can remove them with your nail or a sharp knife.
Place your potatoes into a pan and fill the pan with cold water so that the potatoes are just covered over by the water.
Place the potatoes onto a hot oven ring and bring to the boil. Once your water is boiling then you should reduce the heat and allow the potatoes to simmer in the pan. Keep an eye on your potatoes and check every 5 minutes with a fork to see if they are ready. It normally takes 25 minutes for medium sized potatoes to boil and can take upto 40 minutes for larger potatoes.
Use your fork to jab the potatoes and if the potatoes are easy to get the fork into then they are ready to be removed from the pan and served.
You now have the choice to serve the potatoes with the skins on which contain all the good nutrients of the potato or to serve them skinless.