Topic: 2nd crop potatoes.... challenge maybe, or at least camaraderie.

[Jayb]

I couldn't remember how long potato dormancy lasts but apparently averages 60 days. For those planning on planting recently harvested tubers have a look at this link
http://www.potato.org.uk/department/sbeu/smg/content.html?content=5

[Jeannine]

Good info Jayb, thank you for the links.I want to have alook around here and see if i can find anything else being sold off cheap, something new to us.

I found a tomato site today, sounded  wonderful..till I checked it out.. Tomatobobs folks..oh bejeebers stay away from that one.

XX Jeannin e

[star]

I have just had a look at this thread, yes I would like to join in please. I shall do Kestrels. Dont know what in yet.......great idea Jeannine ;D!!

[calendula]

so, going by the dormancy info does that mean it is better to plant a chitted slightly dried out spud from any variety than to plant a wettish newly pulled 1st early which is likely to rot  :-\

[campanula]

me too, kestrels in 40 litre tubs, John Innes 3 and Levingtons shrub and tree compost, my compost,  on plot but moved to greenhouse as soon as foliage starts to get big. July 15th sounds good to me but if I haven't yet had my kestrels up, will go with Foremost.

[Jayb]

so, going by the dormancy info does that mean it is better to plant a chitted slightly dried out spud from any variety than to plant a wettish newly pulled 1st early which is likely to rot  :-\

It does sound like you will have more luck with chitted dried out ones particularly if newly harvested pots have a dormancy of 60 days they are going to be sitting in compost for a wee while. I think I'm going to have a go to see what happens if I place a couple of newly harvested tubers on the shelf in the green house and a couple somewhere cooler, and plant on or just after the 15th, although I don't think 2 weeks is quite long enough? Worth a try to see :)

[calendula]

to plant by the agreed date I am now opting for an unknown variety (shop bought) but is last year's main crop that is chitted

[Jeannine]

I read something a few days ago, sorry forgot to save the link, will try to find it.

It was spuds grown in potato boxes, that is like mini raised beds but as the foliage grows you slip another layer  of wood on so they can go quite tall. The theory is that the higher you go, the more spuds you will have as they grow from the buried stem..BUT.. there was a point that the earlies still only grew in the bottom six inches or so. I have noticed this doing spuds in post and have always used earlies but apparently of you grow lates, they are in the pot long enough to grow up the stem!!!

So... I am going to test this and grow a couple of lates in a similar set up and see what , if  any, the difference is.

I will try to find the article.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Bump, are you getting ready folks XX Jeannine

[manicscousers]

tatoes at the ready  ;D

[Jayb]

Potatoes and tubs at the ready, unfortunately blight is too! But hey nothing ventured......

[grannyjanny]

I've got red duke of york, home guard, swift & Nicola ::) :o. Don't ask. Most of them have 6'' long chits on them. Do I take those off please? I have an area behind the potting shed, will they be OK there & then into the GH or potting shed & are the florist buckets any use or do they need to be bigger?

[Duke Ellington]

 Granny ---I have loads of those buckets that I was going to use. I was only going to plant one seed potato to each bucket! What do you think ?

DUke

[Jeannine]

All ready to go here XX Jeannine

[grannyjanny]

Don't know Duke, sorry. Someone will let us know. Just remembered I've got some pink fur apple too ::).

[queenbee]

I would love to join you all in planting for Christmas. I have this years Charlotte which I have just started to harvest, and will go to the supermarket tomorrow and see what I can find. I have a spare bag of ericaceous compost and some ordinary. I will grow in both and see which is most successful. I will also use Hessian bags which the supermarkets sell as bags for life. They are only cheap and hopefully they will last the season.  I am really looking forward to seeing the outcome later in the year.

[grannyjanny]

Queenbee. If I knew what was in the stinky compost grow bags I might consider them ;) ;) ;). Still debating.

[Jayb]

I've got red duke of york, home guard, swift & Nicola ::) :o. Don't ask. Most of them have 6'' long chits on them. Do I take those off please? I have an area behind the potting shed, will they be OK there & then into the GH or potting shed & are the florist buckets any use or do they need to be bigger?

If the shoots are really wispy you may need to take the worst ones off, if they look fat and chunky leave them on. Your aiming for a quick turn-around, First Earlies are probably best followed by second earlies, so maybe not Pink Fir Apple  :)

If the area you have in mind gets lots of sunshine and is fairly sheltered, they should do well. If you have a spare bit of fleece you could use that later on if frost threatens.

Florist buckets sound fine, I've not used them but agree with Duke, one tuber per bucket.

Queenbee, I often think the hessian bags could be very handy to grow veggies in, if they are large ones, you might be able to squeeze 2 in.

[earlypea]

I couldn't remember how long potato dormancy lasts but apparently averages 60 days. For those planning on planting recently harvested tubers have a look at this link
http://www.potato.org.uk/department/sbeu/smg/content.html?content=5

I think it does depend a lot on the variety though.  I was thinking of using my recently harvested Charlottes and/or Mayan Queen so I was looking for more specific info and didn't want to go to the expense of buying in more.  In the end I don't think I can join in for this year, because I wanted to do it outside and I need the vacant space for other things.

But thought I'd share the info in case it helps anyone else.

I can't find specific info on the popular first/second early varieties, but this doc indicates that you can break dormancy in recently harvested potatoes, particularly in earlies by using cold and heat.
http://www.cipotato.org/library/pdfdocs/ResGuide32465.pdf

It says keeping early maturing varieties in a dark, warm room (18-25 degrees C) until they sprout - airing cupboard?

and/or cold treatment, again works best on early maturing varieties.  Kept at 4 degrees C for 2 weeks then put in a warm dark room as above.

Unfortunately, there isn't time to do that for this year if you're going for the 15 July, but useful for next maybe.

The Mayans have very poor dormancy rates so they could be used immediately after harvest
Mayan Queen

They do not store well and are replanted very soon after harvest in areas of South America where 2-3 crops a year are possible.

http://www.alanromans.com/p-2031-mayan-queen.aspx

They are early maincrop, but I've found Mayan Queen grows very quickly more like a second early.  Mayan Gold seems a lot later.

[queenbee]

Certainly won"t be using Jab's grannyjanny, that has all be used as a mulch in my flower garden. Have some good stuff from a plant nursery that makes their own. Looking forward to this project and the outcome from everyone taking part.