planting potatoes in July????

[esther.j.paton]

New allotment holder and very excited. Still clearing it as been stood for 2 years. Can I plant potatoes in July.  Which ones are best and where to get them from.  Bought some from homebase in sale but after inspection should be planted No later than in April.  Help really want to get something in.  Thanks for reading. 

[esther.j.paton]

[ancellsfarmer]

No experience  of doing this but what can you lose? There is no point in trying to store them, Unless  you try(and report back,please,)we wont know. The simple action of digging them in, and digging them out in, mid October,will in it self be beneficial. If youve got a unkempt area, then just do that. I would try to ensure that you do get whatever is produced, out otherwise you will have "volounteers " next year.

[chriscross1966]

A first early like Rocket, Swift, Lady Chrystl or Pentland Javelin should crop before the frosts even if planted now, especially the first two, though the second two taste better... this is assuming we don't get blight....

[Mikeakabigman]

Kings seeds autumn catalogue have the varieties Charlotte, Nicola and Carlingford, for late planting to give potatoes in time for Christmas.

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Ordered mine yesterday from D.T.Brown. (Charlottes). Ground is cleared and manured ready. You can plant spuds for Christmas no later than end of July. I planted mine in bags last year(Carlingford) so I could move them into the greenhouse out of the frosts. Not as big a crop as I would expect, but works. No harm in trying.

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Spuds just arrived from D.T. Brown. Just got to let the rain stop to put them in.(Charlottes).

[grannyjanny]

Could they be affected by blight? We have it all over our site & people aren't cutting them down. We bought some foremost when they were reduced & were thinking of planting them on our new half plot.

[Deb P]

The main risks you run planting outdoors in July are blight and drought. It's worth a try for dure, but I only grow early potatoes now do they are harvested before the blight hits, although some years are weird and I get no blight at all!  I'm playing catch up on my plots after illness but there is still plenty of other things you can sow or plant this month, there is a current thread going on the forum that will give you plenty of suggestions.

[grannyjanny]

Blight hit early on our site this year. We cut the tops off 3 weeks ago.

[grannyjanny]

Could someone please do me a link to things to plant in July. TIA.

[chriscross1966]

I'm going to try some of my "raised from true potato seed" Great Western Rodent.... it behaves like a second early, quite an early one too, and it's a seedling from Ratte, crossed with something unknown.... that said it has held up against a dreadful blight year a couple of years ago and a fairly dry one last year.... I might also put some Lady Chrystl in as I've got a few left on a windowsill... Hoping that my nematodes turn up soon and that we get some rain to help me wash them in...

[Deb P]

Could someone please do me a link to things to plant in July. TIA.

There you go...

http://notjustgreenfingers.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/what-to-do-in-the-kitchen-garden-in-july-2/

Tee Gees blog is fab too

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Vegetables/July.htm

[Jayb]

I planted some potatoes a couple of weeks ago, they are growing on at an amazingly fast rate. I planted a few Elisabeth, Pentland Javelin and Charlotte. I'm hoping I might get some earlies in September. But I think L. Blight will most likely get them, as it normally destroys earlier plantings here. I think it's worth you planting an early or second early variety in your newly cleared plot and if the summer is dry they stand a good chance of being able to grow unhindered by blight, that's as long as they have enough moisture in the ground to grow!

[willsy]

I planted some 1st earlies on May 26th and have dug them up they only got 8 week in the ground and Ive had some lovely potatoes. Got another lot in, fingers crossed they are as good. Ive dug them up because of rats!!!!

[Jayb]

I planted some 1st earlies on May 26th and have dug them up they only got 8 week in the ground and Ive had some lovely potatoes. Got another lot in, fingers crossed they are as good. Ive dug them up because of rats!!!!

I've just harvested the first small new potatoes from a mid June planting, very pleased they have done so well and so quickly. I picked a small handful each of Elisabeth and Pentland Javelin, I'm looking forward to eating them this evening. The ground was waterlogged when I should have planted them and then I was behind with lots of things, time went on and I ended up in two minds whether to plant them or not, glad I did now