Allotments 4 All

My first early potatoes (epicure?) are romping away on the allotment - how will I know when they are ready to harvest please?

With early potaotes they are ready once they have flowered.

Thanks - do you mean finished flowering rather than actually come into flower?

Sorry, once they have finished flowering.

I'm relaying info from my knowledgable husband.

yeah, flowering - during or just after a matter of days so dont get hung up on that, just dig em up and eat!

I start to have a root around in the soil about 80 days after planting as the flowering guide is not always perfect. I also like my spuds on the small side.

HTH

Jerry

I have two buckets of potato plants in the greenhouse purely for the 'very first' meal(s). After that I judge by pushing my fingers into the soil (in July) so that I can feel the tubers. First early potatoes are all about taste to me, not size, so acorn sized tubers are not a problem ...

I have read that they should be ready 13 weeks after planting but that would obviously depend on the weather, how deeply you planted them etc

Not all potatoes flower anyway, easiest way to tell is just to have a look at what's there as said above

mmm... new potatoes. :P

Home grown, freshly dug, new potatoes ...

with lashings of buter and freshly snipped chives.......................................

I reckon to start 'feeling' BEFORE the flowers!

dont forget to put a sprig of mint in the water when you boil them.

Or serve with some mint butter :-*

Thanks all - my taste buds are tingling in anticipation!   ;D

or Substitute for the seriously lactose intolerant like self!
:'(

Ate our first 2 days ago (Swift). Just flowered a few days ago---beautiful

I harvested ours from the pot in the greenhouse yesterday(Arran Pilot).
They were soo delish!!!  I can't wait for the ones in the veggie patch to be ready.

Alison

:-[... I had my FIRST new potato on Sunday - the very first one I have EVER grown!!!  I decided to scrape the soil away slightly to see how one of the "Swift's" was getting on as they have flower buds (planted only 5 weeks ago)  okay it was only marble size  but I couldn't resist taking one ::)  I'll poss dig up one plant this weekend to have some more  ;D

tasted beautiful microwaved!

mat