Potatoes

Hi
I planted first earlies and second early potatoes months ago, they have still not flowered but the foliage is dieing off are they ready to dig up ???

Mrs Chopper

 

Hi Mrs Chopper,

If you can remember which ones are the earlies I would have a little scrape of the soil around the base of the foliage and see if you can find any spuds and what size they are.We have just started digging our Foremost{Suttons}early spuds and due to the fact they were frosted in May and then weeks of dry weather the crop at the moment isn't large but now we are having some rain they might get a bit better.If you are further South or Southwest then you should be well on the way to harvesting your earlies.The same for the second earlies,but it all depends on the conditions and what varieties you have planted in the first place.

You might also have missed the flowers,as I think that most varieties have them,and if your foliage is dying down then that probably is a good indication of being ready for harvesting...

 

Hi Mrs C,

I'd second what Kandy says there

If you want to store the tiddies for any length of time then leave them in the ground for 2 weeks after the halms have died down, to let the skins harden.

Otherwise, get the mint sauce and butter out

Still got some more stone to drop round to you, just been running about like a badger recently.

 

No worries, I haven't made a decision on where it's all going yet anyways though it would be nice to see you

 

Nice one, should be around a bit next week. Off to West Bay in a bit, but got a bootfull of stuff already.

 

Chopper, Mrs C. people worry too much about spuds flowering, If you think the crop is ready, lift a plant. If there are enough potatoes for a meal from 2 plants then what more do you want?