having looked up how to grow them (potatos)on a number of web pages it mainly only state's about when the roots have dried up then this is a sign that they have matured and are ready to be harvested - does any one know a rough time scale though for them to mature?? I planted my tat's yesterday, Thanks 4 reading karen (-:
Hi Karen depends really what kind they are first earlies or main crop..think earlies are about 16 weeks? and main crop 18 weeks plus.. have grown both before and found that when the foilage begins to die down ie turn browny yellow, you can harvest.. will double check my advice here and update if need be... what variety are you growing? cheers D
Hiya, well the thing is im not to sure as the potoatos i got were from tesco's ( general eating ones- medium sized ones) not from a gdn ctr. And we got some others which i know are second earlies but they are in my conservitory growing their stalk thingy's for the min what do u think ?? (-: thank you karen
most gardeners buy seed potatoes by variety to ensure they get best flavour, i have about 10 varieties, which is OTT but then i'm kinda impulse buyer when it comes to veg!..... ive got Red Duke of York and Jersey Royals[international Kidney]and Epicure for first earlies, Maris Peer for second earlies, then some Kerr s Pinks, King Edward, Golden Wonder, Pink Fir [salad], and Desiree for maincrop, but i dont expect i will get enuff to carry me thru the winter, they taste so good they tend to get eaten as soon as i they are big enuff! [ 06. April 2006, 10:15 PM: Message edited by: Lady Gardener ]
Hi Karen, you need to know the variete you have so you can work which type. Rocket is first earlie and should be checked after eight weeks, but probably dug after ten weeks.Other first earlies ready in ten weeks plus. Second earlies ready thirteen weeks plus. Early maincrop ready in fifteen weeeks plus while late maincrop need to be in the ground twenty weeks. Tubers sold for eating will often have been treated with the very effective sproat suppresant CIPC which prevents the potatoes germinating and becoming soft in store. It also prevents the tuber germinating effectively if planted later as a seed potato.
HEY GIVE IT A GO I USED SOME THAT I GOT FROM ASDA I GOT ABOUT 3 LBS OF DECENT SIZED POTATOES FROM THEM THEY HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE BACK OF THE CUPBOARD AND HAD STARTED TO SPROUT SO I STUCK THEM IN THE GROUND I STARTED WITH 4 AND SPLIT EACH ONE INTO HALFS NOT EXACTLY GOING INTO COMPETITION WITH THEM BUT HEY THEY WERE GOING INTO THE BIN ANYWAY SO I GOT 3LBS OF FREE TATTIES I HAVE HEARD THAT THE SUPERMARKETS DO USE CHEMICHALS TO STOP THEM FROM SPROUTING BUT THESE ONES WORKED
OOHHH ALSO GOT LOADS OF LITTLE TINY ONES TOO BUT THEY WENT INTO SALADS JUST A SOD TO PICK UP MORE MUCK THAN POTATOE BUT DIDNT WANT TO LEAVE THEM IN THE GROUND INCASE THEY SPROUTED
thanks for that i have put mine in so hope fully thay will be ok!!they seemed to have sprouted lot's !! when did you check on them and dig them up?? thanks (-:
hi check em?? i just waited till the flowers had fallen off then got the garden fork into em im completley new to this gardening lark my grandfather had a large garden 20 odd years ago so im just going by what i can vaugley remember from then but i do recall him saying that they were ready after the flowers had gone and it seemed ok unless anyone knows diffrent oohhhh i just put in some seed potatoes that i BOUGHT 30 p a lb something that begins with a C and some RED ones both apparently main crop i also planted some onion sets today again red ones and white ones along side the potatoes about 2 ft away so i dont disturb them when lifting the tatties we will see how they get on
well i need to go and check on the tesco potatos - i planted them about 1 week and half a go!! I havent a clue what im ment to be looking for, haha, ive basicly just gone crazy and planted lots of things and hoping for the best and trying to get tips off this web site!! LOL
erm, dont dig em up, leave em alone till the leaves come thru, then you r supposed to earth them up. check em then!
If they are those cheapo Tescos "White Potatoes" then I guess they are "maincrop" which means they will be ready later than earlies (I would guess August or even September). The plants will grow up to 18 inches high and then bud white flowers. When these flowers have died I think it's time to dig up. One thing I have found to my cost with this gardening lark is too much poncing about with your plants tends to kill things rather than help them - water them if they get dry, try and keep the pests away but otherwise leave them alone and be patient! But one thing you have to do with yer tatties is earth them up - this means as they grow, scrape the nearby soil up the plant so that it gradually covers more of the stem. This is because if the potato itself is exposed to the air it turns green, which is poisonous. I think it also helps keep the above-ground critters away. *Health warning - I am in no way an expert, if anyone else says I'm talking rubbish believe them and not me.
