Early Potatoes

[Garden Manager]

I would just like to ask you how your early potatoes are doing this year and more specificaly what sort of yeild are you getting off them?

I was late putting mine in and have only just started to lift them. I was not impressed with the results. From 3 plants i barely dug enough tubers for one meal for 3 people. I normally get enough from one plant for at least a meal for 3 if not more. I am very disapointed :(.

[Garden Manager]

[STEVEB]

tried rocket this year.
most dissapointed tasteless,poor yield must go back to the reds next year

[OllieC]

Still eating Rocket here - should be on the Orla by the end of next week. I have them in 2 places - one where the soil is in poor condition - they're yielding about one small spud per plant. The others are under where the compost heap was, and they've been perfect for the variety (between one & two pounds per plant). Although sadly they still taste like Rocket.

[allaboutliverpool]

In June 07, 10 plants, totalling 15.6 kg =1.56Kg per plant from 6th June onwards

In June 08, 8 plants, totalling 4.3Kg = 540g per plant from 12th June onwards.

Both from an 8X4 bed

Enough said.

I hope that when I get back from France that the remaining 2 plants in the bed will improve the average!

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_potatoes.html

[KathrynH]

I was quite late planting my spuds this year too but I started digging up my Rocket 2 weeks ago. I'm pleased with the size and quantity, enough on one plant for a meal for 2. The soil wasn't used for much last year so perhaps that's helped.

[Trevor_D]

Hasn't been a good year for 1st earlies. I've grown Lady Crystl for the past few years and always had a reasoable crop, but this year I've normally had to lift two plants for a meal for the two of us. But one plant of Roseval gives us enough for two or three meals.

I dunno either.... (last year I lost half the Roseval to slugs, and we haven't exactly been dry recently, have we?)

[grawrc]

Sorry to hear that Trevor. My Lady Christl have been great this year: I filled a carrier bag from 2 Plants.I can't think what I did differently.

[Garden Manager]

I should have said, my variety is Rocket. I actualy like it and have been enduring shop bought new potatoes whilst i have been waiting for mine to be ready. Hence my disapointment when I started digging them.

It is either the weather or the site (a bit shady and in a rain shadow). Or perhaps both! Or neither! ??? ::)

[beckydore]

I have so far lifted 3 rows of potatoes. There were about 10 potatoes in each row.

1st row = 2nd earlies - Maris Peer (B&Q) - about a B&Q buckets worth.
2nd row = 1st earlies - Unwins Arran Pilot from poundland - about half a bucket.
3rd row = 1st earlies - Vales Emerald - these were on an offer - I think a few people had them from here I think they were a 95p p&p job -  about 3/4 a bucket.

About half the vales emerald had a white spot on them that looks a bit like mould - any idea if I can still eat them? I did eat a couple yesterday and they tasted ok but I made sure I cut / scraped around that bit first.

Becky

[gardening-gal]

We planted home guard in may, and we have just dug up two plants.  We have got enough for 2 meals for 4 people.  Some of them are a bit small so we will probably give them a bit longer.

[tonybloke]

Have finished our 'rocket', all good, including yield! am now on the 'charlotte', again good yield. mind you I live in paradise!! ;)

[Trixiebelle]

My earlies were a bit disappointing but I think I panicked after the blight last year and dug 'em up too soon.

[caroline7758]

Same here, Trixie!Must say the free Vales Emerald are really nice!

[Deb P]

I dug up a short row of  5 'Epicure' this afternoon, got about 8-10 potatoes per plant, filled about a third of a sack altogether , so I'm quite impressed! Mixture of sizes, most small bakers size, some huge!

Charlotte also did well for me, again I was surprised how big some were, I was expecting all hens egg size.

Salad Blue, not a great yield but very attractive. Guessing I harvested these a bit early, so I have half a bed left to lift.

Shetland Black...I'm sure half of these are still in the bed, so hard to see! Tasty though, very thick skins so a bit chewy. Small yield.

Witchill (aka Snowdrop)...great yield, and very tasty, I'll certainly try these again.

Still have Arran Pilot left to dig up, but need the space so will be harvesting them soon....

[Uncle Joshua]

 got these from three Duke Of York plants today.....

[Tin Shed]

Rocket, Vales Emerald and Accent have all performed well and Charlotte seem to doing well. Some roots have been better than others, but no complaints so far...........!

[Dadnlad]

1st row  Lady Chrystl was pants, low yield and nothing special taste :'(
2nd row  Arran Pilot much better, bigger yield, bigger spuds, better taste :D
Winston next  ;)

[ninnyscrops]

Lady C's always my 1st's and I personally find them a lovely sweet potato with good yields. Majestics again as 2nd's and finished the end of them last night.

[grawrc]

Me too. Love Lady C - I grow them every year.

[DAVIESFOZZIE]

hi i dug up 8 early plants last week winston variety got about 12 potatoes and a few eaten by slugs very bad too much rain in Caerphilly no heat in the soil or sun the sme as last year