Topic: Do Second Earlies Keep?

[Chantenay]

I need my early potato bed back for final sowings, but there are still quite a few second early kestrels in there. The foliage has died down. Should I leave them in the ground, or will they keep for 2/3 weeks - and if so, in cool place or fridge?

[tim]

They are safe - except for sluggy things - where they are. But yes - most 2nd earlies will store - after drying on the ground for a day - at least short-term . = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

I don't think it is wise to keep spuds in the fridge as they will go green from the cold, and are then not so great to eat....I believe they are slightly poisonous when they are green :o, but I have eaten green spuds and am still here to tell the tale!

[tim]

Sorry if I misled - didn't mean in the fridge, of course.
In a sack. = Tim

[Chantenay]

Thanks both - I didn't know that about spuds in the fridge.

[Palustris]

Our second earlies, Nadine, keep in our frost free shed in hessian sacks, some in paper sacks until March. Our first earlies kept in the same conditions keep until September.
We do not even bother with a main crop as the yield because of blight is so poor and they often do not keep at all.

[tim]

And green toms, Emma??

Ooooh, that was unkind? = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Tim!!!  :o

[Chantenay]

Thanks Tim and Emma - what are you two like?? And that was really helpful Palustris.
I lifted the kestrels at the weekend, and I was just one fork ahead of the slugs. They dried out quickly, we have eaten the few which were a bit ropy and the rest are in a paper sack in garage.
My first potato harvest - I'm so proud.
But worried - will those slugs now move onto my maincrop desirees?? Can I stop them?? Should I whip them out now even though the foliage is only half dead?? Will the sun rise tomorrow??

[tim]

Do you really want to know??
Can't find the lovely photos of Emma + children savaging the plants- or those that I so  self-sacrificingly posted of old age. Where do these things go to?

Slugs? You put slug bait in at planting time? With or without, it's anyone's guess. Especially after the rain. Let 'em be - you'll get more than you lose. = Tim

[Hugh_Jones]

Almost all second earlies will keep for as long as you can provide the correct conditions, i.e. dark, frostproof and cool.
The best method by far is the old fashioned clamp - but hardly worth the trouble with less than half a ton. A frostproof shed is o.k. during the winter, but soon heats up from strong spring sun, and this will start them sprouting unless you can them move them somewhere cooler.

If Chantenay`s Desirees have now finished growing (which seems very probable if the foliage is now half dead) I would suggest that he does as I do (and shall be doing later this week as mine are at the same stage), and treat them with coffee (the cheapest you can buy) at a dilution of 50 gms per 2 gallons of water.  Soak the potato bed thoroughly with the solution.  As the plants have stopped growing it will hot harm them in any way, and although it does not kill the slugs it will drive them from the bed.  Slugs simply cannot stand caffeine, and will leave a treated area as fast as they can.  The treatment is effective for several weeks and I also use it on my overwintering maincrop carrots - repeating the treatment at 2 monthly intervals.

[Mrs Ava]

Welcome back Hugh.  How was the fishing?  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

PS for Tim, my pictures vanish as I only have so much online storeage space, but Ava has found a new hosting site, so pictures should no longer disappear.  ;D

[tim]

Fishing? It took you that long, Hugh?

So what happened to mine, Emma? On photobucket? Probably just as well!! = Tim

[Chantenay]

Hugh Jones - You are my hero. I have been handing out your instructions (from the old BBC board last year) on coffee and carrots to all my friends (and the helpful update from MagpieDi). I should have thought of coffee for myself. When she said you had gone fishing I feared it was euphemism - I am so pleased you are OK.
Thanks.