One potato, two potato, three potato...

...four?

Well not exactly. One of my potato plants looked about ready, having finished flowering and started to wilt. So I got the lad, figuring he'd be really excited to collect up all the potatoes I was about to unearth.

We got one decent sized spud, and two marble sized ones.

Lets hope the rest of the spuds do a bit better.

 

Steve will be along in a bit to explain about cropping times, he knows all that stuff

Getting ear ache of Sis because I bought a sack of spuds to see us through the hungry gap:DOH: Had to explain that, yes we've got spuds ready in the plot, but if we dig them all as new potatoes then the yield will be much lower than if we leave them till the haulms die back.

Your yield might be down because of the drought too Dave.

 

I think the problem in my case was a combination of factors. Firstly, the ground that particular plant was in was poor. Secondly it was in a slightly shady spot, and third the nearby potato plants that are in slightly better soil and in a sunnier position have grown much bigger, and probably left the one 'ready' plant a bit starved.

Armandii, when I was little I remember being quite worried that potatoes my be growing in my lug holes, after my dad told me many times that he could see them growing in there

 

They call that child abuse these days:DOH:My Dad used to tell me if I didn't eat my crusts then war would break out in Vietnam, he was right:OUCH:

 

Mind you, he also told me that the Dutch had conquered Holland.

 

Remember that. Mum always referred to my ears during my once a week bath in the tin tub in front of the fire. " You could grow spuds in these" !
Been suffering from waxy ears ever since....

My spuds in the dustbin and sacks are showing loads of healthy greenery. Not a single flower to see anywhere. I reckon they have a view weeks to go yet.

 

I've found a really good potato site-JBA potatoes, I ordered all my pots from them this year and so far I'm really pleased with my first earlies Ulster Classic. There is a new forum on there too but you can also get advice on chitting (taking off the top ones and leaving the side shoots) which are stronger and growing times etc. I wanted to eat mine as earlies cus last year left them in the ground for too long and the flavour was spoiled.

 

I had problems with mine as well, it seems it isn't just here in the NW where the potatoes have had a problem. :(