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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Philbasford on July 29, 2008, 13:47:45

Title: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Philbasford on July 29, 2008, 13:47:45
Am going to have to harvest sum of my spuds this week!
a patch have been affected by blight, have sum really nice size spuds but sum of the beds have been badly affected by slug damage:(, think one bed more then others (not sure which variety), and today actually found a slug stuck in a spud!.  Wheres mr frog when you need him!

Is anyone else harvesting thiers yet ,and/or been affect by blight?
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Rhubarb Thrasher on July 29, 2008, 14:15:38
earlies and second earlies all up. Maincrop to be left for as long as possible. Much better crop than last year
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: asbean on July 29, 2008, 14:19:50
ditto here - much better than last year,bumper crops of first and 2nd earlies. No sign of blight  :) :)
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Able on July 29, 2008, 14:38:49
Ditto here too. They were lovely. 1st time as well got on average 6 (?) spuds to a plant. I was well chuffed.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: keef on July 29, 2008, 15:22:55
Ive eaten half a row of earlies already - the rest need to be lifted now as the tops have died off... What i have dug so far have been really good.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: antipodes on July 29, 2008, 15:28:25
I am into the mid-season ones, they have been healthy and very tasty but I have been very disappointed with the yield, only a few spuds per plant, although the second earlies are a good size. All the earlies have already been eaten. The maincrop have not died down yet, although starting to, I will leave those till they disappear completely.
The patch was well manured so don't know what went wrong there. Might try a different plant source next year.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Philbasford on July 29, 2008, 16:10:55
i would leave mine in longer but with the blight and slugs i dont think i have any choice, dug the affected beds and got some nice big desree, will leave the rest another few weeks
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: tim on July 29, 2008, 16:35:23
Red Duke of York, Rooster, Vale's Emerald, Sceptre, Pentland Javelin, Lady Balfour eaten.

Mira & Markes lifted because of foliage damage.

PFA, Valor, Car & Axona still to come.

Despite ground like a building site, very productive all round.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: sawfish on July 29, 2008, 16:39:11
Digging up my second earlies now.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Mr Smith on July 29, 2008, 16:50:14
Had no end of them in fact I'm feeding half of LE13 :)
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: tonybloke on July 29, 2008, 16:54:17
the farmer down the road is harvesting his spuds!! ;)
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: debster on July 30, 2008, 17:36:04
the earlies are up and gone the main are still doing their thing
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: KittyKatt on July 30, 2008, 18:03:07
First Earlies (Rocket and Ulster Sceptre) eaten and enjoyed a long time ago! 2nd earlies (Wilja) dug up and being enjoyed. Main crop (King Edward, Picasso and PFA) dug up last weekend because the leaves had all got blight really badly, despite spraying with copper (must be the SW air, as everyone else's potatoes also have blight!) and top growth was dying back. Wilja gave a good crop, and are proving to be very good roasters! King Edwards gave a good crop with very little slug damage. Picasso were disappointing - smallish crop and very slug eaten, despite using the nematodes on several occasions. PFA gave a good crop too. I could probably have left them a bit longer, but what with the blight and the slugs I was worried about losing the lot, and didn't want to take the risk!
KK
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Squashman on July 30, 2008, 19:25:35
My Rocket and Kestral all finished several weeks ago, half way through my 16 rows of "Marfona", all so far have been good with no blight or slug damage. Cara and Pentland Crown still growing and again no sign of Blight. The Marfona are coming up huge, and heavy crop. Must be the climate down here in the South West.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Dadnlad on July 30, 2008, 19:41:49
Arran Pilot and Winston already wolfed down ;D
Digging  2nd early salad Nicola now - superb taste 8)
Still got Charlotte, Kestral, Vales Emerald, Desiree, Sarpo Axona, and Cara to come ::)
No sign of blight yet ! :P  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: KathrynH on July 30, 2008, 21:48:23
Tried Lady Christobel for the first time this year and very impressed. Have eaten loads of them and the rest are now stored. Also dug up a couple of Charlotte plants just to try them and they too have done well. Haven't touched the maincrop yet but the Pink Fir Apple that I also tried for the first time look as if they've been struck by blight so I think I might start to lift them at the weekend.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: sheddie on July 30, 2008, 21:54:47
My first earlies are up and eaten - lovely they were too - could have eaten them on their own!

Sheddie ;D
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: hopalong on July 30, 2008, 23:18:37
Red Duke of York mostly harvested and eaten, except for some still growing in tubs. Charlotte still being harvested as required (bumper crop with some huge tubers). Maincrop (Desiree) ready to be lifted. Pink Fir Apple is still flowering and will be left a bit longer.  An excellent year for spuds.
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: kitty on July 31, 2008, 08:19:49
firsts and seconds are just coming to the end-after last years disaster with blight
duke of york and arran-i think....
i am very pleased with the amount...but then...one potato would have pleased me!!
charlotte ,desiree and pfa to come tho i have snaffled a few ;D
kitty
xx
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Sparkly on July 31, 2008, 10:08:37
I think we have blight and will be chopping the tops off today!
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Sparkly on July 31, 2008, 10:30:28
When cutting the tops of my spuds is it okay to leave an inch of the stem showing?
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: shirlton on July 31, 2008, 10:57:19
We are still fighting our way through the Pentland Javelin. Still nice although a bit bigger. Nadine are next and then Desiree (hopefully for storing)
Title: Re: Anyone harvesting thier spuds yet?
Post by: Barnowl on July 31, 2008, 11:47:42
Quote from: Sparkly on July 31, 2008, 10:30:28
When cutting the tops of my spuds is it okay to leave an inch of the stem showing?

just bringing it back because I'd also like to know the answer to this one....