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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Alexihen on June 10, 2009, 11:27:10

Title: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: Alexihen on June 10, 2009, 11:27:10
For the first time ever I planted seed potatoes in their bed on 7 April this year.  How do I do know when they are ready without digging up a plant and having a look?



Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: littlebabybird on June 10, 2009, 11:44:46
hi Alexihen do you know the variety?
lbb
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: tim on June 10, 2009, 12:10:20
Good question, lbb - if they're Earlies, they should be ready now - at least for small portions.

Lucky old you being over there!

As said elsewhere, have a 'firkle' or dig one & re-plant if not ready.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: Alexihen on June 10, 2009, 12:28:58
Can't remember the variety.  Have the label somewhere, but obviously somewhere safe!  I shall have a firkle - never had one before, so that should be fun!  I'll let you know.

Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: littlebabybird on June 10, 2009, 12:36:05
if not the variety do you remember if they are
1st early
2nd early
or a main crop?
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: PAULW on June 10, 2009, 13:06:06
They have only been in a month the recomended time for first earlys is twelve weeks and that is for perfect growing conditions, mine have been in since mid feb and I dug the first root today the ground has been so cold nothing has grown.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on June 10, 2009, 13:49:05
Grub around and see whether there's anything there. I'm not planning to lift any for a few weeks yet.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: Alexihen on June 10, 2009, 14:16:32
It's just over two months now, and when or if it stops raining I'll put a fork gently into the ground and see what's happening. I have a feeling they were earlies but they were French so I'm not absolutely sure.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: BertyBasset on June 10, 2009, 16:11:03
Use your fingers and have a scrape from the side to see if it's worth lifting. I lifted a pound of Sarpo Una from a plant on Tuesday. I think they went down a week or so before yours.

Robin
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: allaboutliverpool on June 10, 2009, 20:02:08
Have they flowered?
When they are in flower then it is time to try digging up plant.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: tim on June 10, 2009, 20:08:37
Oh, forget flowers - firkle!! No inkling of flowers yet.

We've finished 2x15' rows of Swift & are well into the 2 rows of Lady Christi. Planted 11 March.

Sorry for the repeat!

Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: Ninnyscrops. on June 10, 2009, 20:28:16
No flowers on my Lady C's but had a couple of meals from them (3 plants dug up in total). The Marfonas are in flower but I won't be touching them for a month or so.

Even with watering a couple of times a week the soil is so dry underneath them!

Linda
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: amphibian on June 10, 2009, 22:34:09
I sowed on good friday, a firkle reveals my first earlies are in production. When the rain starts I'll be eating spuds with mint. Yummy.
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: small on June 10, 2009, 22:48:13
I set my sprouted pentland javelins on March 17th and have been eating them since May 16th - I don't wait for flowers, I'd rather eat early and small because they come on so quickly once they get going. 
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: susan1 on June 11, 2009, 00:00:18
I have been eating lady chrystal for a bout a week now yummy
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: N8R on June 11, 2009, 09:20:28
me and my mate are well in to our lady christy s no sighn of flowers yet but proper tasty !!! n8r  ;D
Title: Re: When to dig up my potatoes
Post by: cornykev on June 11, 2009, 16:10:41
I've been eating rocket now for three weeks with flower, the Lady Christyl's not got any flower,I'm going to dig some more up tonight.  :P        ;D ;D ;D