Author Topic: harvesting potatoes  (Read 4631 times)

rdak

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harvesting potatoes
« on: January 26, 2004, 15:15:37 »
does anyone have any good tips on when potatoes are ready to harvest? I will make a note of when they are "due" but understand that the weather can affect growing progress. My second earlies last year (Charlotte) I harvested a few days after the flowers appeared and that seemed to be the right time. Is it different for first earlies and maincrops?

Do people tend to harvest their tatties all in one go and store in sacks or leave them in the ground?
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

tim

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2004, 15:29:04 »
Depends on when they went in and how soon you want to use them.
Earlies - typically '13 weeks' - but you can start looking even before the flowers are out.

Main - typically '22 weeks' - but you can start looking when the flowers are out. Use as needed, but cut down the haulms when they have withered, wait 10 days to clear any nasty spores and lift, dry & store in paper or hessian sacks.

Any premature, random wilting or browning, cut & burn. = Tim
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

philcooper

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2004, 00:04:13 »
I would not advise lifting whilst they are flowering - 2nd earlies and maincrop are bulking up at this time. You should remove the flowers to concentrate all the plant's energy on producing tubers and water at this stage.

I agree with removing tops if there is any sign of disease - blackleg or blight - and burning DO NOT COMPOST (apologies for shouting). The normal advice is to leave for 3 weeks to allow any spores to die off before digging up.

So for 1st earlies leave them until they are the size you want to eat.
For second earlies start lifting when yopu have run out of 1st earlies and they are big enough to eat
For maincrop leave until 3 weeks after you have removed the tops or they have died down

Phil
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

tim

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2004, 22:26:28 »
- once again, I bow to your experience but, flowering or not, early or main, if I want a potato and it's there, I'll lift it. = Tim
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

philcooper

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2004, 22:53:09 »
Tim,

You are the master of your own allotment (unless there is a Mrs Tim, that is ;))

The advice to leave them in the ground until the tops have died down for 2nd earlies and maincrop is to maximise the yield.

If you lift them earlier you'll have potatoes that could have gone on to be bigger
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:01 by -1 »

john_miller

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2004, 04:52:47 »
 I don't know if this is clarification or obfuscation but as I mentioned before maincrop potatoes will start to initiate tubers around the end of July, as daylength reaches a critical point. Maincrop potatoes have only to have been planted for 5-7 weeks (depending upon variety) for them to react to this photoperiod trigger. They can be harvested at any point after this, as desired. As Tim said, if you want it, use it. Flowering is simply a yardstick to go by for those who want good sized tubers but this should be regarded as an arbitary assessment point. Because the skin will not be thickened at this early stage they can be treated as first earlies and cooked whole, skin intact (for those who peel their potatoes).
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

tim

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2004, 11:20:23 »
Phil & John (we got your SNOW!) - I do, do read what you say. Of course we ripen the majority of the keepers, but all others we use as soon as we can get our hands on them!  I did say wait till the haulms go off?

Never heard the bit about removing flowers - more work! and shame - they're so pretty!= Tim

PS - Yes, I do the real veg; daughter does the fancy stuff like squash; wife, now that she has her new knee, does the pretty bit.

« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

philcooper

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2004, 12:59:27 »
Now that harmony has been restored - glad to hear of Mrs Tim's new knee - the only point that may have been missed is that the flowering of maincrop vartieties coincides with the point at which the tubers are bulking up and hence where watering is beneficial

For those who want pretty flowers - leave them on

For those that want early potatoes - lift them when you will

For big potatoes eg bakers, don't do either of the above and water them as they flower (or would have if you hadn't taken them off!)

PS Spraying the chitting potatoes with foliar feed, such as the seaweed based suff, helps with the yield - of all types
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

tim

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2004, 13:18:01 »
- didn't realise I had caused dis-harmony - just quietly stating well worn fact.  But it was all worth it, just to get your summary, Phil!! = Tim
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

rdak

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Re: harvesting potatoes
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2004, 13:26:54 »
thanks all- you are all mines of information!
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

 

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