potatoes big enough ... what next?

[nittynora]

Our potatoes  have been in for a while now athe the earlies are getting huge! :)  We have a (nice) problem in that we can't eat them fast enough so - what's best?  Shall we cut the tops off and leave them in the ground (will this check the growth, or cause them to rot?) or is it best to lift them and just work oru way through them?

This may have been asked before but couldn't find it on the search.

Any advice appreciated!!

[nittynora]

[Bugloss2009]

I'd lift them and store them (and use the ground for something else). Sort through them and use any damaged ones first, and keep them separate.  I used to store them in big tubs with old dry compost but now i just keep them in those big paper potato bags ( in a cool dry place)

[Unwashed]

It's always the same for me.  I just leave them in the ground.  The tops go over on their own about now so there's no need to do anything and unless you find they're getting eaten by slugs I find they store just fine where they are.

What variety?  I ask as there are a couple of first earlies which go on and make perfectly decent second earlies, Rocket especially.

[nittynora]

Thanks for comments..... so we can do either ;)

We have Lady Cristl (1st early), Charlotte (salad) and Belle de Fontenay (main).  All planted at about the same time and tops arev staring to flop.  All have flowered and the Charlotte have fruit on them (I know these are toxic)

[chriscross1966]

I wouldn't leave earlies in too long, last year I had some Highaldn Burgundies (2nd earleis) start sprouting and growing again, their dormant period isn't all that long if they're in good soil adn we have a nice warm August....

chrisc

[nittynora]

Going to lift them ........ got leeks that are itching to get into the ground....

[antipodes]

I always leave spuds in the ground and dig them up as I go along. I don't really plant anything where the seonds or mains were except maybe a bit of salad, so I just leave them in the ground till I am ready.

[antsinmipants]

Lifting and storing isnt a bad idea as long as you dont mind losing some of the flavour. Im convinced spuds lose flavour within a couple of days of lifting and so I always dig them up as I need them :)

[nittynora]

Hmm - rethink maybe!  Do you cut the tops off or leave on?  What's the blight risk in each case?

Thanks for all comments

[chriscross1966]

Lifting and storing isnt a bad idea as long as you dont mind losing some of the flavour. Im convinced spuds lose flavour within a couple of days of lifting and so I always dig them up as I need them :)

To a general chorus of sighing and rolled eyeballs try growing Pink Fir Apple. 
Yes, it's a verylate maincropp so you don't get any till September. and the topgrowth is a thug, and ythe tubers are long thin knobbly and occasionally spectacularly branched, but it tastes great even when  it's been stored for months and it holds in store until April, and if you get a good year the crop is pretty heavy....

chrisc

[Alex133]

1st & 2nd earlies I cut the tops off as soon as they start to look manky and leave in ground.
Re blight following is taken from Potato Council (excellent site for all info) advice:
"A crop that is stored will be more at risk if there has been blight in the tops. When the tops have been dead for three weeks the risk of tuber infection at harvest is reduced because most sporangia in the soil will have died......Remember to remove all tubers."

Pink Fir Apple - have got 3 someone gave me, looking forward to trying for the first time.

[nittynora]

To a general chorus of sighing and rolled eyeballs try growing Pink Fir Apple. 
Yes, it's a verylate maincropp so you don't get any till September. and the topgrowth is a thug, and ythe tubers are long thin knobbly and occasionally spectacularly branched, but it tastes great even when  it's been stored for months and it holds in store until April, and if you get a good year the crop is pretty heavy....

Chrisc - Grew them last year - very nice!  They are currently coming up in what I thought was this year's onion bed!! ::)