Topic: Potato mania ?/First crops

[saddad]

If there is enough to salvage of course you can... the slugs will have hollowed out the empty ones and most of the wormlike thingies are just using the holes for shelter..
 ;D
 ;D

[daninlondon]

I wouldnt have said they would be the first thing off the blocks as it were.  Dont make the mistake of putting them in too early - the ground will be too cold and you risk having them frosted off - ive done it myself.

Several volunteer potatoes have emerged on our allotment, all looking offensively healthy.

It occurred to me that perhaps I should I follow mother nature’s example, and plant my potatoes now. Am I being silly?

[supersprout]

If they're not in the way, why not? I'd be tempted to cloche, fleece or mulch against the frost - but you might get some super earlies! ;D

[cornykev]

Very silly, no seriously I take it its very wet and you get frosts in forest hill wait until Feb/Mar after the frosts have gone. Old spuds will appear I have found a few myself they are OK to eat but don't forget they started of when the ground was warmer gone through the whole growing process then been forgotten, plant them and they will be wasted.    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[supersprout]

Whoops, I wasn't clear in the last post  :-[ - I meant why not leave the volunteers in and get super earlies, not plant new ones - wait for Good Friday! Thank you for bringing this matter to my urgent attention kev ;) :P ;D

[cornykev]

The mulching gone to your brain. :-[ ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[supersprout]

 :-[ :-[ :-[
mulch mad!
 ;D ;D

[cornykev]

Straw coming out of your ears.

[triffid]

Just went for a squelch round the lottie and found myself looking at one of my spud beds (they've not been much in mind since they were cleared, and this one was last so didn't get planted with anything else.
But it still looked odd down one edge.

Guess what? Hadn't harvested the last row. Got my fork out, cursing myself for feeding lovely Pink Fir Apples to the slugs and preparing to dig out nasty slimy lumps.

Couldn't believe it. They are perfectly fine.
So it's fresh-dug spuds for supper now!
 ;D

[cornykev]

Great find Triffid thats why I got PFA because lotties on this site say they keep well (slugs and December cropping ) bloke in the shop commented they last until gone February.

[philcooper]

...... I meant why not leave the volunteers in and get super earlies, ........kev ;) :P ;D

Because no matter how healthy they look they could be harvourig blight or eelworm (amongst other diseases).

Most blight outbreaks are traced back to volunteers so please dig 'em up and plant new certified seed - for the sake of a few pence it's not worth it (for you and the other gardeners/farmers who suffer from the blight outbreak)

If you want them early grow some first earlies in containers in a warm sheltered place

Phil

[supersprout]

ooer, better ignore that post then daninlondon!

[cornykev]

Love your rake thingy Sprout how do you get it on.