First earlies - potatoes

[Karen Atkinson]

If I dig up all my Aaron Pilot first earlies now, how long would they keep? do I store them in the fridge?And do second early spuds (Charlotte)store better?

[Karen Atkinson]

[pigeonseed]

I don't know how long they keep - but they're not known as storing potatoes. I wouldn't put them in the fridge though. I should think somewhere dark and dry is best.

Although they're not known for storage, that probably refers to the fact you can't keep them for months and months like the maincrop potatoes. So although they're nicer when fresh, they're not like cream or seafood or something  :) - I'm sure they'll be okay for a few weeks.

I think Charlotte stores pretty well.

[antipodes]

I would not dig them all up. Leave them in and dig them up as you need them. they can stay in the ground for weeks like that.

[cornykev]

As said the ground is the best place for them, dig them as needed.  ;D ;D ;D

[pigeonseed]

I want mine up to make room for more crops! But maybe spudcounter is not as impatient  :)

[sawfish]

some of the old guys at the plot just dig around the base of the mound and grab a few, instead of digging up the whole plant. That way they're always fresh and keep growing.

[Karen Atkinson]

that's interesting - what are you going to plant in that bed the early potatoes were in then? And when should I dig up my second earlies?

sawfish - do the initial potatoes start at the base of the mound then and others on top of these. I thought mine seemed to grow laterally in the soil but I may not have looked close enough

[pigeonseed]

some of the old guys at the plot just dig around the base of the mound and grab a few, instead of digging up the whole plant. That way they're always fresh and keep growing.

This sort of digging around at the base sounds amazingly delicate and utterly unlike anything I expect to achieve on my plot. It sounds like they have lovely neat mounds of crumbly soil. My potatoes fight their corner in rock hard clay with lots of weeds growing through it!
 
I have this much more advanced technique, where no matter what implement I use to dig, and what angle, I always spear or slice absolutely all the potatoes as I get them out.

I'm not sure how I do it - just some kind of natural ability  ;)

[pigeonseed]

Oh sorry you asked what I'd be planting next, spudcounter - well I think that bed will become my strawberry bed.

[JoeCocker]

Wish, i'd left my first earlies in a little longer, dug them up this weekend , most were no bigger than marbels, >:( leaving the other lot in for another four weeks.

[gwynnethmary]

.

 
I have this much more advanced technique, where no matter what implement I use to dig, and what angle, I always spear or slice absolutely all the potatoes as I get them out.

I'm not sure how I do it - just some kind of natural ability  ;)

I'm having the same problem. I have read that you're supposed to use a special potato fork with blunt prongs, but don't want to go that far! I have thought of wrapping masking tape around the  prongs though!

[gwynleg]

I have thought of wrapping masking tape around the  prongs though!

Now that is a good idea that I am going to borrow!

[delboy]

If you have two forks you can loosen the soil under the potato and then take out as many as you want.

The ease the forks apart and leave the plant to carry on with growing its spuds.

[cornykev]

My leeks will be going in as soon as I dig up another weeks worth of plants.    ;D ;D ;D

[Easywriter]

Hi all you good potato people

I read somewhere that as soon as flowers appear on your pots you should snip them off, they sort of sap energy from the plant. So that's what I've been doing. Am I doing right? :-\

[amphibian]

Hi all you good potato people

I read somewhere that as soon as flowers appear on your pots you should snip them off, they sort of sap energy from the plant. So that's what I've been doing. Am I doing right? :-\

It will do no harm, but I am not convinced it is true.

I suppose the logic is that once a potato plant has set seed it will die back and this will be the end of the spud production, but in my experience this just isn't the case. My maincrops are all in flower, or have even set seed, but the plants are big and bonny and underground I am sure the tubers are swelling.

All this said though, I haven't done trials on this, so feel free to ignore me.

[cornykev]

I would leaf them bee.  ;D ;D ;D

[gwynnethmary]

My leeks will be going in as soon as I dig up another weeks worth of plants.    ;D ;D ;D

We've run out of leeks.  Does anyone have any other suggestions ?

[Easywriter]

Hi Gwynnethmary

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but I notice you're from Hartlepool - one of the Monkey Hangers!! ;D

[Karen Atkinson]

no leeks left here either - what else? Are you putting same or differernt family in?