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we have had an excerlant cara potato harvest, most were large and big, some were on the small side with less then thick skins, how long can i epect these to last for?, also got good crop of desree potatoes but these have nice thick skins:), made some chips today for first time in years with the cara ones, hmmm lovely:)

Cara are a maincrop, and so should last until Spring if stored correctly, ie cool dry and away from light. You might find the smaller ones are the first to suffer, so these could be consumed first.

I have not lifted my Cara yet, but may lift them towards the end of this week, since the plants are still green, but on close examination they look past their strongest. A few trial plants will soon indicate ...

yea the potato stalks were still green but were going rather soft so decided to dig em before the slugs got me spuds

I grew Cara last year and they lasted well. Haven't lifted mine this year yet either but will probably do so this week sometime. :)

First signs of blight appearing, so I decided to lift my Cara as soon as possible. After a pitiful crop of Desiree, I was expecting hen egg size tubers, with all sorts of blemishes. Much to my surprise, the crop is the best I have ever had, every plant yielding several large tubers, most the size of my clenched fist. Perfect jacket spuds as my wife thinks. I have put a picture in the 2006 Show board, under maincrop potatoes.

Oh that's good news Curry. Our earlies were teeny so I'm really hoping the Cara's are a decent size, I want some biggies for baking. Will go to allotment tomorrow and have a dig, keeping fingers crossed. :)

Jacket tatties tonight for tea, along with tomato sauce, and curried chickpeas. Delicious ...  :)

I'm glad i've found something on maincrop potatoes as I was wondering when I should lift mine. Maris piper the type, some going yellow others have really green stems and leaves. What should I do?

Time to lift maincrop now is it?

If you want your potatoes to keep for any length of time it is important that you let them `set` their skins before you lift them, and they won`t do this until the foliage either dies back naturally or is removed manually.   If all the top growth has died off the skins have probably set, but is best to lift one plant and check the tubers by rubbing them with the fingers. If the skins stay firm they are ok, but if any of the skin rubs off they aren`t ready yet and need to stay in the ground a few days longer.  If the tops are still green or yellowing you can cut them down, but the potatoes should then be left in the ground for a fortnight for the skins to harden.

my cara potato,s are very poor this year they are small and full of slug holes ??? but on the other hand my saxon crop were very good no slug damage at all maris peer good also

after kepouros's post i think i may have lifted mine to early, as the skins on the smaller ones rub of easily(the desree ones are fine though), wont the skins set now they are lifted, hope the keep to christmas!

My Cara died off in June, and I'm not expecting anything at all from them.

I lifted the cara's today and they are lovely, not as big as last years but big enough. If the skins aren't set you can lift them and leave them in the sun for 2-3 hours to set them. We don't have enough to last much longer than christmas so mine should be fine for storing.

Sorry Leonnie, but if the skins aren`t set leaving the tubers in the sun for 2 or 3 hours won`t set them.  It will certainly dry them off - always a recommended practice in any case before storing - and the skins will certainly feel tougher, but as far as storing capabilities are concerned this is just an illusion.  If the skins aren`t set properly before lifting you will be very lucky to store them safely for any length of time.

Probably why I lose so many to Soft Rot in store..... thanks
:o