Allotments 4 All

I've heard mention of a special potato digging fork - ie without spikes - but I don't have one - what's the best way to dig for my first early potatoes?  I had a prod around last night and they are there - quite deep - I don't want to spear them in my impatience and inexperience!

oh, i just used my normal gardning fork and go gently. move from the sides in towards the kill. i dont tend to spear many - i think out of last year's whole crop i had about 3 or 4 with a stake through the heart! then you just eat those the same night.

happy harvest :)

There's a lovely pic of Jerry's spud fork at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=57&/topic,20464.msg209683/topicseen.html#new

This has been a well debated topic I believe, the concensus being that moving in gently from the outside is the best method. Potato forks are ideal for shovelling potatoes, but won't reduce the risk of spearing one ...

Start from a safe distance - a foot or so - and work towards the crop. Never stick the fork into the row or bed.

Drives me mad!  I always seem to spear the biggest, most perfect looking spud!  I always start from the outside and work slowely in, but it isn't until I have finished and am just forking the area over that, whap, stab, right through the middle!  Still useable, but use immediately...good excuse for a plate of chips  ;D.  I have a tato fork like Jerry's an am really looking forward to using it this year.

People are going to laugh at me for this, I know they are....but here goes.
Ages back an elderly relative got a free gift with a  magazine, a plastic trowel and fork set, and passed it to me. To be honest, I thought - what on earth am I going to do with plastic, waste of time, more clutter etc. I didn't throw them away, I thought they might come in handy for any visiting children to use. However, found a use for the fork. This time of year, I like to have a scrabble about in the earth for the first new potatoes without actually digging up plants yet, and this soppy plastic fork is ideal as it doesn't damage the spuds, but is substantial enough to move the soil.
Still always manage to spear some when digging them up properly with a proper fork though  :(

That isn't a soppy plastic fork jen, it's ...
a furtling fork
;) :D

I used to dig up whole plants but do the same as jennym now, if I just pick the bigger ones and leave the marbles then the little ones will carry on growing.

It helps if they are growing pritty near the surface but then the best bit of
labour saving advice I ever heard about spuds was that if you don't plant them too deep then you won't have to go down that deep to get em out :-)