Hi all, yes I know i'm jumping the gun as usual ::) but..... how do i know when our potatoes are ready to be dug up?
We've planted charlottes, pentland javenlins & maris's. Ta x
dug mine up last year when the flowers had died - but didn't do main crop, may be different :)
Typically 13-17 weeks - depending!
So check the planting date, take your shoes and socks off... and add a week to catch up from that dry spell. Or you could just have a firkle at one plant and see what you've got!
::)
Firkle gently!!
silly question i expect but what flowers ?
i bought my wife seed potatoes and planted them in a huge pot pre my allotment which i've just got.there are no flowers just huge mass of leaves
i guess if you have lots planted it wont matter if you pick one early
rob
no such thing as a silly question :) mine have only just started to flower, maybe leave yours for a bit ??
Scrape a little soil away from the side of earthed up plants and see what they are like.
If too small cover them up again, if OK then start digging!
With earlies wait until the flowers have passed their peak then try.
With lates wait until the haulm starts to fade then wait ten days, by this time there will be very little above-ground remains but the pots will be ready.
Some earlies don't flower. One of mine didn't last year (can't remember which, rocket maybe?). It was my first year growing spuds, I was out there firkling daily ;D
Thanks all, i like the sound of a 'firkle' :o ;D
Our neighbours pot's are quite a bit bigger than ours though, so might leave it a couple of weeks. ;)
Firkle?? Firkle?? Love that word, but have never heard it before. I shall use it proudly from now on!
:)
My first earlies are in flower - I couldnt resist a peek (my 1st growing year) I had a dig around with my hands, the pots are the size of peas and white..umm..whats gone wrong - surely they should be bigger???
I thought it was just me that couldn't resist a quick 'firkle' to see what's happening below ground! ;D My earlies are just starting to come into flower and we go on holiday in June, probably perfectly timed to clash! I have been told by people that 'proper' gardeners don't go on holiday in the main season... ::)
just got my allotment and we're going on holiday in a few weeks time,butter make quick aquantences with my allotment neighbours