Potato query

[meg_gordon]

Hello everyone - I'm a new poster - so forgive me if this has already been discussed.  For the last few years I have been growing potatoes in tubs and had great success with Maris Peers and Wilja - this year I am growing Epicures and King Edwards - and have had to stake the shaws - they are HUGE - about 4 feet high - and in the main, the Epicures haven't flowered - there are buds, but they've gone yellow/brown and dropped off.  Any ideas?

Meg

[meg_gordon]

[redimp]

My tops and the tops of a lot of my neighbours this year are far taller than in previous years.  The only ones without tall tops were the ones who got frosted so I think it must have something to do with the weather this year but i don't know what.  Light levels have generally been good - I would have expected tall foliage if it had been dull and warm!

[saddad]

Welcome to the site Meg...
Epicure are one of my favs... they don't always flower. I f you have that much top it is worth having a firkle.... Epicure don't go off like some of the newer varieties...  :)

[manicscousers]

hiya, meg, welcome to the site..lots of our flowers have barely opened and dropped off, we've had a good amount of spuds though  ;D

[meg_gordon]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys - I will have a firkle and see what's about.  The reason I was a bit worried is that I live in Ayrshire - and Epicures are grown right up the coast and are known as "Ayrshires" locally.  The commercially grown Epicure shaws looked normal - not like my triffids:-)

Thanks again
Meg

[saddad]

They are the best at recovering from a late frost... perhaps the commercial ones were set back by a frost? A rare thing I know on the Ayrshire coast. Is shaws a local word for the Haulm (tops) older varieties tend to produce a lot.. Pink Fir can get to 7'...  ???

[meg_gordon]

Hello saddad

Yes, shaws are the green bit at the top - didn't realise this is a Scottish word.  I planted mine in the middle of April this year, Good Friday being way to early.  Dont remember a late frost - as you said, it is quite unusual.  Is it advisable to stake the haulms if they get too big or should I just leave them to wave about in the wind.

Meg

[saddad]

If they are going to get broken a few stout posts around the outside and a couple of layers of Twine should keep them in the "box"  :)

[meg_gordon]

Thats what I have done - thanks for this saddad.

Meg

[Tee Gee]

Is shaws a local word for the Haulm

As soon as I read it I saw the Scottish connection.

Being an anglo scot it brought many memories of the tattie howking days I spent as a schoolboy.

These were the days when we were allowed two weeks off school to pick the potato crop.

As I recall we were paid around sixpence (2½p) an hour and it was bl***y hard work!!

Then after the potato 'howking we went rose hip picking getting about threepence (1p) a pound.

With these we had to top and tail them which made it a right 'itchy' job particularly if the rose seeds got next to your skin.

Needless to say; seeds were maliciously put down the collar of many an unsuspecting student, and it was masochistic fun to watch them squirm during class  ::) ;D

Ah!! those were the days  :'(

[meg_gordon]

I dont know if this is going "off topic" - sorry if it is - but I also remember the howking days - Irish gangs used to start work in Girvan and work their way up to Largs - and once the fields had been cleared and the gang moved on, the kids were allowed into the park (never called a field for some reason) and were allowed to keep any potatoes they were able to dig up - AND - it never rained ;D

I also got into trouble for putting "itchycoos" down my brother's back! 

I think clearing up after the howkers gave me my interest in potatoes - both growing and eating!!!

Meg