Topic: When to plant potatoes

[Roger Skilton]

Hi I have bought three varieties of spuds Arran Pilot, Verity, and Nicola. The Arran Pilot have got sprouts a good 1" long the other two varieties are about 1/2" long can anyone advise when I should plant them ?

Many thanks

Rogee

[saddad]

How long is a piece of string? This thread has been up recently if you search for it, I won't be putting out until Easter which is at least six weeks away, but have them all chitting in egg cartons now. Some more favoured areas may sneak a couple of weeks on our plot..
 ;D

[Tee Gee]

I'm with Saddad on this one, but you can look in here it may help!

http://tinyurl.com/2tplbo

[Roger Skilton]

 Thanks for your help that web site was very informative !

[tim]

Of course - He wrote it!!

But when did you buy the seed? Sounds as though they were sprouting then?? None of mine, bought in December, have more than 1/8" on them. Both in light & in dark. Yours are in full light now? Are the shoots a nice green/purple??

[cornykev]

Depends where you are in the country Roger, here in London I will plant out at the end of Feb as long as the soil is frost free and workable. Today I will be planting a few in large pots in the garden covered with fleece. Make sure yours are in a cold light room Roger , maybe they are sprouting if you have them in a warm room.

[davy1]

I agree with the above posting it depends on where you live, the warmer south or the cold north. Being in the north east and right on the coast i usually work on at leas  fortnight behind what the book says, BUT this year i had that many sets left i decided to put some in in extra early i have now three 20 ft rows in, trenched and well manured. its only when the frost gets the tops will it affect them. If that happens then i will cover them with black sheeting.
I thought i would go with the flow of global warming

[Tee Gee]

I had a similar conversation (about timing) on another forum yesterday.

The query was the Packet said sow Feb to April,  this person from Leicestershire sowed in February and now has a problem with leggy plants

My reply was;

I have this rule of thumb and it it works reasonably well and it is this;

I assume that all commercial & press sowing dates originate south of the Thames and if you allow 1-2 weeks later for every 100 miles you travel north you will not be far off.

In this case; Feb-April = week 5-17 a difference of 12 weeks

Based on my rule of thumb you have this;

Southern areas; Sow Week 5-6

Oxfordshire; Week 6-7

Leicestershire; Week 7-8 (End of February)

Yorkshire; Week 8-9

Newcastle; Week 9-10

Edinburgh/Glasgow; Week 12-13

Aberdeen; Week 14-15

This map will give you a better idea; http://tinyurl.com/y57avq

Click on map to enlarge it!

[cornykev]

Blimey Davey your brave putting them in that early in the N. East, OH comes from Hartlepool she has cousins in Peterlee is that anywhere near you.   ;D ;D ;D

[Roger Skilton]

I am in thesouthern part of Kent so although we have had a few frost's it is generaly quite warm. I did get the seeds about 2 weeks ago and left them in the box ( which is probably one mistake ) and the box was in a cool part of the house ( an unfinished extension ) the shoots are white. I appreciate all your comments it is the best way of becoming slightly educated.

[davy1]

Quote Cornykev   [ Blimey Davey your brave putting them in that early in the N. East, OH comes from Hartlepool she has cousins in Peterlee is that anywhere near you ]

Right in betwean Blackhall.

[saddad]

If you want to put some in early Epicure, a victorian variety, still available and once grown extensively in Ayrshire is supposed to recover best from froat damage to the foilage...
 ::)

[davy1]

FOA  OH Blackhall Granery Allotments have a shop and we get lots from the town use it. The spud sets are in also onion and shallots open Fri/Sat/Sun 9am to 12

Cornykev, I agree about being early but i have never been so warm in winter up here
And as i had lots of sets kept back i thought nothing to lose plenty of time to replace them. So i put in Kestrel and Nadine.

[Marymary]

This just isn't fair I am still waiting for my seed potatoes so I can't even think about even chitting them.

However, I remember one very sage piece of advice from a very wise person [sorry can't remember who] said shortly after I joined this site about times for planting;
'It's often too early but seldom too late'.
I've tried to remember that & curb my enthusiasm for planting everything in February.  :)

[Deb P]

This just isn't fair I am still waiting for my seed potatoes so I can't even think about even chitting them.
/quote]

Me too....I've chased up my suppliers, who say my orders are with their suppliers....?! :-\
First time I've ordered potatoes for an allotment, I will buy in person next year for my earlies at least!

As you say, at least I can't rush in and plant too early.....

[quizzical1]

I ordered my seed potatoes from T+M, back in Late October (missed the associations deadline for ordering from Kings, as it had to be in by Oct 1st, and we took over the plot in October).

They were delivered in late January and are now happily chitting away in a cool bedroom. OH also bought some from Wilko a bit earlier, and they are doing even better. Will probably be planting the earlies in late March in Northampton. Is that about right do you think?

[norfolklass]

we had the in-laws staying this weekend so couldn't make it to the potato day in East Anglia. fortunately, there was one at Notcutts the weekend before, so I went a bit mad and bought lots of different varieties there instead :-[ I admit I did get a little bit carried away, but thought the more varieties I try, the better idea I'll have of what grows well and what tastes good for next year, then I can narrow it down to a few favourites.

they're now all sitting in egg boxes on top of the wardrobe chitting away happily. I've been following potato threads with great interest having never grown any spuds before – I'm aiming for mid-March (didn't someone mention St Patrick's Day?), I think one of my plot neighbours said he plants in March, must remember to ask him about it next weekend. also read on here somewhere (or in a magazine/book?) about getting a few earlies going extra early under fleece – might try that if I can't wait any longer!

[Barnowl]

I am in thesouthern part of Kent so although we have had a few frost's it is generaly quite warm. I did get the seeds about 2 weeks ago and left them in the box ( which is probably one mistake ) and the box was in a cool part of the house ( an unfinished extension ) the shoots are white. I appreciate all your comments it is the best way of becoming slightly educated.

I'm in London: same problem and question as Roger, although I've already rubbed off any long sprouts and moved them into more light, I would like to know if I've done the right thing?

[cornykev]

Davey I would get some fleece or a cover down just to keep the soil warm. I was told stick your finger deep in the soil to test if its warm enough if you can keep your finger in then its warm enough, don't forget thou we still have a few frosts to come. ;D ;D ;D

[sawfish]

I'm planting mine out on my birthday the 21st March here in Glasgow.

I'm going to be doing it like the old allotment men, they plant the potatos and then earth them up there and then in big pointed drills so the potatos never need earthed up and the leaves appear out the top of the drill mounds that bit later. You just have to make sure the potatos are in line with the top of the drill mounds or they'll grow out the sides.

It makes sense as you dont have to keep earthing them up.

The 3kg bags were only £2.99 from Torrance Garden centre, I thought that was really cheap and they had a great selection too.