potatoes

[debster]

sorry guys with my ?first crop potatoes due to be ready june/july what am i looking for flowers look to have started am i waiting for the flowers to bloom or the haulms to go brown and wilt or both before i consider harvesting seem to have read so much information getting confuddled now ???

[debster]

[manicscousers]

if they're earlies, you don't need to wait for the flowers to die off..get stuck in and have a firkle to see if there's some spuds there  ;D

[Emagggie]

But should we wait for the flowers to arrive? I had thought this was the case but a very helpful fellow plottie said don't bother and we had a firtle and zilcho :o. He felt very sorry for me and gave me a bag of his spuds. All my plants look nice and healthy, so I'm not too worried at this stage.

[manicscousers]

yep, wait for flowers, then water, if it's dry..they put quite a bit of weight on when they're flowering..hope you get lots  :)

[Deb P]

Following on from this, first year I've grown spuds on an allotment, how long should I wait before I expect to see any signs of life from some of my earlies and maincrops?

Earlies went in around Easter, maincrops a couple of weeks later. Growth ranges from two feet high to a couple of inches, but there are still a few bare areas where nothing is showing at all, and it's getting on for five/six weeks now......should I have a furtle and see, and put in courgettes instead? :-\

[laurieuk]

Some of the earlies do not have flowers,I am digging Rocket there has been no bloom but they are already rather large for new potatoes. My 2nd early Kestrel also has very little flower whilst Cara has flowers you could cut and have indoors.

[telboy]

I've had a 'furkle' & my arran pilots are coming up trumps.
No pics. as I eat 'em all.
;D

[asbean]

We dug up our Wilja today, they're lovely  :P :P :P

[tim]

Don't wait until new pots look like bakers!

[miniroots]

I ate my first Red Duke of York yesterday!!  I had a firtle and just took one home to check it tasted okay... it was lovely, beautiful creamy taste.

I think I'll leave the rest for another couple of weeks...

[OliveOil]

I got my first lot of red duke of york last saturday and big they were too.... didnt see any flowers at all, apparently 1st earlies can flower and disappear without you noticiing so all your first earlies should be ready just about.

I'm leaving the rest of mine in another week then it will be time for the 2nd earlies which started flowering a week ago!

Home grown spuds -mhmmmmmm worth all the work i say!

[Curryandchips]

Lifted a couple of roots of Rocket this morning, they look lovely, my wife is rubbing the skins off now, her comments are they are the easiest pots she has ever prepared.

Eating them for tea, with salad of course (onions and lettuce from the plot too).

Derek :)

[Tora]

I'm so jealous! My potatoes have no flower yet...  They were planted in mid April. :-\

[pye]

Tora mine went in on 6th April, pulled the first lot today (Swift), haulms mauled by slugs, covered in brown spots and not a flower in sight, but a lovely crop of potatoes.

Have you firkled?  :)

[Curryandchips]

Indeed Tora, ignore the flowers on early spuds, go by time alone, eg 11 weeks for my Rocket, the literature said 12, so I am well pleased. As suggested, have a feel ...

Derek :)

PS my teatime meal was heavenly, as anticipated.

[Miss Fenella]

I could not wait and have lifted 2 of my Arran Pilots (sp?)- loads of good size pots which tasted delish.

Too early really but lifting pots is one of life's little pleasures for me  ;D

[Tora]

Thanks pye and Derek :)

No, I haven't firkled. Some of them are first early (Foremost and Pentland Javelin) so I'm going to check next time I go to the allotment. Hope I get a good crop of potatoes. :) It's a shame my OH is away and not coming back for 2 weeks... :( ::) ;D

[asbean]

We don't bother firkling any more, the first year we got worried, but my son knows instinctively when they're ready.

[louise stella]

I'm already eating salads and stawbs - it'll be nice to have a few spuds to go with them!

Yum!

Makes all that hard winter clearing work seem worthwhile at last!

Louise

[asbean]

Pye - Swift don't produce flowers.   ;) ;)