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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: kt. on July 22, 2008, 20:07:33
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I have read many people on this forum on about planting new potatoes for Xmas dinner. How do you go about planting new spuds for Xmas? Do you use small potatoes from your own crops? Am I too late to plant some?
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I usually keep some sets back from the start of the season but i believe you can get them from the seed catalogues now
I set them away in containers or black bags and grow them on outside till my tomatoes are finished and out of the greenhouse i then move my potatoes in.
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Christmas Day exactly?
A bit tricky. But if you plant now, they'll be ready in October & keep until then??
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a lot of the seed catalogues are advertising seed potaotoes for planting July/august to crop in the winter. They make a point about cropping for Xmas, but not sure if this is so accurate. I have sent away for some. I found them more expensive than regular seed potatoes, but they do put them in cold storage to stop them sprouting in spring ...
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From last weekend's Guardian:
Fancy munching home-grown roast spuds on Christmas Day? 'Carlingford' seed potatoes are waiting in cold storage to leap into autumnal spud-producing action. Plant them out in August; boil them up on Christmas Day.
Doesn't say where to get them, though!
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i have got mine from mammothonion.co.uk but trust me they are expensive
£10.00 for 12 seed potatoes (but we got 13)
lbb
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Carlingford did well but, as mentioned, July is too early. Even an August planting will turn in before Christmas & have to wait in the ground??
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You don,t plant them in the ground Tim you plant them in bags or containers, then put them in the greenhouse for warmth when the tomatoes are finished.
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I read that if you lift some new potatoes in June you keep some of them aside and plant out just now.
Thats what I'm going to try. Not sure if it'll work.
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I just had Carlingford delivered from Thomson & Morgan as a Christmas potato. Plant outside end July/early August latest. No chitting required. If not planting out immediately store in the fridge no lower than 4c.
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ive just ordered maris peer from suttons, first time of trying later potatoes for me and will plant them in 3 large pots and 1 potato barrel and see what happens
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Carlingford did well but, as mentioned, July is too early. Even an August planting will turn in before Christmas & have to wait in the ground??
I normally plant mine in the last week of August, I'd go with Maris Peer.
http://www.suttons.co.uk/pd_220198_2nd_Crop_Seed_Potato_Maris_Peer.htm
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Just to be different (?) mine go into the ground. Can't cope with buckets.
And I repeat - if they go in late July/early August, they'll be ready long before Christmas.
In our humble experience!
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Depends on your definition of ready, I suppose. I prefer something bigger than 'marbles' ;)
I'll take your advice and follow the professional growers instructions!
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I took over a derelict plot in March 07 and it took me months to clear. Just to say I'd grown something I planted potatoes for Christmas, Carlingford they were, and we had lovely 'new' potatoes for our Chritmas dinner. For the amount I got they worked out pretty expensive but it was great to say "I grew these!" when we were seated around the table.
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Yes - Carlingford seem well adapted.
Ready? I mean bigger than the Jersey Royals that some folk pay the earth for!
Good going, Stephen!
Yes, ceres - follow the professionals - not me!!
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how deep do the bins need to be to grow spuds in ?
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I suppose it depends which part of the UK you live. We in the frozen North Staffs wouldn't contemplate growing potatoes for Christmas outdoors. They are frost tender, and once the tops have been frosted you'll have nothing underneath. (That is, having consulted OH ;D)
This far north you would have to grow them in containers indoors.
With regard to Carlingford, we grew them as reasonably earlies last year, and were not impressed. They didn't scrape easily (and yes, I'm old fashioned, I don't want the skins, I can get enough roughage in my diet without) ;D, and the taste wasn't brilliant.
valmarg
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When would you plant them Tim.
Mine go in the ground too.
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Haven't a clue, Mick!!
Just know what has happened in the past.
And, as for frost. I've had to chisel frozen spuds out & they have been fine.
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I think I'm wrong about planting them in August..
The 12 of September is 16 weeks before Christmas so planting then would give them plenty of time.
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I ordered Carlingford and Pixie from T&M over 12 months ago, and they never arrived for last year, but arrived about a month ago, with apologies for failed crops or summat. They are now sitting in egg trays, chitting their little hearts out while they are waiting for room in the poly tunnel.
We grow them in black buckets (one to a bucket) and earth them up as they grow with a mix of home made compost, manure (!), potting compost, well rotted leaf mould and soil.
Last year, because I had forgotten about the C'ford and Pix I put supermarket spuds into the buckets and we had about a week's supply of new spuds from 3 buckets. I didn't chit them either.
Mint is not around at that time! >:(
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just took this pic in the fading light ...
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Looking good asbean. I ordered mine back in January with the rest of my spud order. They screwed the rest of it up so I was pleasantly surprised these arrived at all. Good old T&M (spit)!
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just got the dtbrown catalogue-they have quite a few varieties at £4.95 for 10 tubers-i'm going to try some i had left over-i'll bung 'em in the polytunnel i think...i'm also going to try for a late crop of beans too-wish me luck as you wave me goodbye!
kitty
xx
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Have seen them at Suttons I am ordering maris peer and charlottes. Dont know if they work. £8.95 per bag 2 kg and they said about 20-30 in each bag. Sounds ok. Will just have to see. ::)
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And, as for frost. I've had to chisel frozen spuds out & they have been fine.
You're having a laff Tim.
Carrots, parsnips maybe, but potatoes - no. ;D
In Winter if you don't store potatoes correctly (ie frost free) they will become 'frosted' and rot.
The only thing I assume you mean, is frozen chips out of the deep freeze. ;D
valmarg
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I use Charlottes, I keep some of the earlier seed spuds in the fridge, then bring them oot when I want to chit them. I have often planted them without chitting too. We use huge tubs and pop them in the greenhouse when the weather starts to get iffy.
Or I replant some of my own earlies from the current year
XX Jeannine
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I laff not, valmarg - but you have reminded me to take the Jersey Royals out of the freezer - put there as back-up before we had our own.
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The reason they go in in August is that, unless they're in a heated greenhouse, or in a greenhouse and we have a mild Autumn, they will have stopped growing by the middle to late November - that is if
1) they haven't been taken out by blight
2) they haven't been killed by early frost.
If they're in a protected environment, ie tub in a greenhouse or in a bed in a greenhouse/polytunnel it doesn't matter if they've stopped growing since they won't be sitting in saturated frozen soil and therefore won't rot.
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I laff not, valmarg - but you have reminded me to take the Jersey Royals out of the freezer - put there as back-up before we had our own.
Why?? ??? ???
valmarg
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Vortex - exactly! They are there waiting for Christmas.
Valmarg - Why did I take them out? Why did you remind me? Why did I put them there??
No matter - they've now gone!! Did a quick cook-up first to check.
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Valmarg - Why did I take them out? Why did you remind me? Why did I put them there??
-rather like everest-becuse they are there!
tim (thankfully)is from a waste not want not generation-which is a great policy!!
talking of which
slightly off topic-my other half is from the Baltic-they generally dont grow spring onions ,but use the tops of cooking onions as such-very tasty and you dont waste all those vitamins!
kitty
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ordered my 2nd crop maris peer and charlottes today from Suttons. Said should be delivered within 2 weeks. i hope they are going to be nice.
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Valmarg - Why did I take them out? Why did you remind me? Why did I put them there??
Erm :-[ I've been to sleep since then, and I forget. ;D
Tim, did you just put the supermarket bags of Jerseys in the freezer?
valmarg
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Hi Ya, that time of year again. Do I plant pots now for new ones xmas day or wait a month and let them chit? I have some to try, maris piper. I did a search to see if anyone has had a go at this and came up with this topic. I know the last post was July 2008 but was wondering how did you all get on? was it worth the effort? what problems were encountered? I may be missing another topic some where that has all this in it already if so please advise. I love new potatoes so was tempted to give these a go. I will freeze some sprigs of mint down for them aswell. happy gardening.
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If you have room why not plant one or two every week or so?
Thats my master plan, not sure if its a bit early yet?
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when I have tried this in the 2nd half of august its failed outdoors for me. They just havent got going soon enough or I've not chosen the best variety tried red duke last year and annabelles year - I am trying again in early august this year perhaps Carlingford.
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I'm not sure how suited Maris Piper are as a new potato, but surely worth a try. I've had good results from planting in bags in July, although L. Blight will likely be a problem. Most often they get zapped here, but if I'm lucky the plants are old enough to put all their energy into producing some baby tubers. If left undisturbed they can then be dug at Christmas/New Year. If frost threatens later on, place the bag in a shed, garage or somewhere that's frost free. They stay in good condition for quite some time.