When to dig up spuds

I have been growing first early potatoes in purpose made sacks. I have three of these and emptied one last week fairly successful with about 6lb of good spuds. Is it wise to leave the other two until needed or what? Will they keep growing (within reason of course) or will the rot?

Thanks

Brian

 

Not first hand, but i've heard on Jamie programmes him find spuds from a previous year in the ground and they've been fine.

 

Yes, I think you are correct. Of course if they are in the garden wiggly things could eat them, there is less chance if they are in my 'grow bags'.

Brian

 

If you want them as soon as possible, then use them!

If you want the largest crop possible wait until the tops die down.

If you want to keep them any length of time (e.g. until Winter) then you need to leave them until the skins harden - so until the tops have died down, then harvest and store. But First Earlies are not really suited to that sort of long term storage.

For short term storage (a few weeks) they will be better in the soil than the fridge etc., so I would leave them until you need them (and if you want to maximise the crop wait until the tops are dying down before starting to use them).

Me? I can't wait that long! :thumb:

 

Also ... if the compost in the Gro-Sacks is light you can try reaching in, finding a right-sized-spud and "harvesting" it - that will leave the Sack to carry on producing more. But if you break the stems that will be game over, and they will only be as big as they have grown so far.

 

Thank you all very much. I will leave them until they are needed.

Brian