I have my first allotment and intend filling it with mostly potato plants for the 1st year I see the seed potato's are in the shops now but don't understand why they say plant after all risk of frost has gone .
Surely we don't chit them from now till mid May ?
When should we sow them ?
I am talking about earlys and main crop .
Thank you . :)
My ultra-earlies went in end Feb (into soil warmed under black plastic for a few weeks), first earlies mid-March, second earlies early April, early and late maincrops mid-April. I'm in SW London so that helps. If you're oop'north somewhere, you may be later.
You can rub the chits off the potatoes without affecting productivity 3 or 4 times if they come on too quick. Alternatively, store them in a dark cool dry place in nets or paper until you're ready to start chitting. If you leave it too long to buy seed potatoes, you'll probably be restricted for choice of variety as they do go quick once they're in the shops.
Also please bear in mind that the potatoes are OK as long as they are covered, so if you are worried about late frosts you can earth them to protect the new shoots or cover them with fleece if frost is suspected. It is the leaves that are susceptible to frost damage. They will blacken and die back if frosted. Normally it wouldn't kill the plant outright but it would be quite a setback. I'm in Edinburgh in the frozen north and usually plant first earlies at the end of March and seconds a week later and so on.
Hi dc2 my planting dates are much like Ceres and yours should be similiar so mid march should be about right if the frosts have gone and as Grawrc said earth up the ealy shoots for a few weeks just in case, the planting all depends on the weather, so if the grounds not too wet or frosty then its ok to plant on them dates, is there any reason you are planting your lottie mainly with spuds ??? because when you rotate you dont want to be planting in the same area. ;D ;D ;D
Tony's dad always said plant on St. Patricks day and you should be digging them by American Independance day. I usually have a firk around before that(if he ain't lookin)
QuoteSurely we don't chit them from now till mid May ?
I start chitting mine the day I get them. This eliminates long gangly chits (sprouts)
Providing they are in a well lit frost free situation it is OK to do this.
The only problem I have at times is mice;
(http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Potato%20chitting/04-Each%20variety%20seperated.JPG)
(http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Potato%20chitting/Mouse%20damage..JPG)
QuoteWhen should we sow them ?I am talking about earlys and main crop .
Mid April for me and I don't bother about early/late types being earlier and later. They all go in at the same time providing the soil is in good condition.
In my opinion the plants 'life cycle' takes care of the timing i.e. they will grow when they are ready to grow.
Now this is when my patience comes in to play.
I read/listen to how many of you talk about sowing/planting long before I would even contemplate it and I never get swayed from my tried & tested timings unless I am conducting an experiment to see what I can get away with.
Have just noticed on my browser home page that the 'experts' are predicting a warmer than average 2009 ::) ::) ::) I'll wait and see 8)
I am all ready seeds bought and sorted into order.
Bed plans are all prepared and my requirements in the way of plants noted.
I might make a start in a couple of weeks time but this is not guaranteed or I might still wait till the end of January.
1st Week in April is normally my busiest time.
I know it doesn't apply to the same date each year, but my Dad always planted his potatoes on Good Friday, every year without fail. They were always good - still taste them now if I think about it!
I plant my spuds on Good Friday as well, just like my Dad. He's in heaven now, so if anybody disagrees with me, I just look to the sky and tell them to argue it out with him! ;D
why do folk use a religeous festival as a planting day? it's not as if the church even uses the same date each bl**dy year!! ;) ;)
just got some "charlotte" from B&Q ;)
My earlies go in provided the land is ok, on or around Paddies day 17th March .This year they will be planted on the 15th which is the Sunday before.
These I expect to be lifting for eating late May early June..
Second earlies a fortnight later. Maincrop a fortnight after these..
If I lived further south and conditions allowed I would put my early ones in a week or two earlier..
..
Probably because in those days some people worked 6 day weeks. I know my Dad worked on Saturdays, so Bank Holidays were the only days he was guaranteed to have off work. Just like people decorated at Easter, so the DIY stores are all geared up for them.
Quote from: tonybloke on December 30, 2008, 20:33:04
why do folk use a religeous festival as a planting day? it's not as if the church even uses the same date each bl**dy year!! ;) ;)
Probably cos folks find it easier to remember certain days than dates
I'm with Alexihen... a full day off extra can help you get a lot of spuds in... I'm sure they didn't always put them in on Good Friday, I've known the ground frozen solid when Easter has been in March!! ::)
I like to get mine in the first two weeks in March but, a lot depends on what the weather forecast for the month of March.
I'm aiming to get me earlies in by the end of Feb, the maincrops by the end of March. Frosting doesn't matter much; even if the leaves are cut back, they've still established their root system, and soon grow back. You can always fleece them anyway.
Fantastic response .
Some real food for thought :P :)
Thanks everyone :)
Oh btw I just bought some desiree and some international kidney [jersey royals]
I always end up planting later than most people at my site...like TG i don't worry about early/late varieties. One thing I do notice is that mine catch up and although might be planted 4/5 weeks after other peoples I'm only a couple of weeks behind in the end.
Apart from my experimentals, my earlies will go in the weekend 14-15 of March. ;D ;D ;D
I make some attempt to plant them in the order in which they will be ready; my idea being to clear the ground from one side of the bed to the other in a methodical fashion when digging them up.
Unfortunately I've found out that this only works if I remember to label the varieties and then to do a diagram of which row is what. ??? :-[
They all sit around chitting for quite a long time...last year it was about 2 months I think (they went in end of Marchish)...they almost became part of the family in the end.
This year I'm thinking of Anya and Lady Christl as my new experimental ones, and Desiree and Kestrel which were lovely last year. Although, once I get to the Potato Day, who knows??