Allotments 4 All

I have had a good result from my Rocket and Dunluce spuds this year - so good that I will be eating them for months.  Unfortunately I need to get them out the ground so I can get my leeks in..

So can I ask what is the best way to store them - in the past they have gone soft by the end of summer when I pull the lates.

Cheers

Oh, NO!! Leeks can wait - & be crowded in. New pots only have one life!!

I store earlies, but I leave them in the ground till the foliage dies down and then lift and set the skins just as for maincrop. They have always stored fine for me till they run out, end of the year-ish. An alternative if you don't have too many and a large freezer, I freeze spare from any pulling to use in stews.

Quote from: tim on June 22, 2009, 12:07:59
Oh, NO!! Leeks can wait - & be crowded in. New pots only have one life!!

I am coming round to that point of view!

Quote from: tim on June 22, 2009, 12:07:59
Oh, NO!! Leeks can wait - & be crowded in. New pots only have one life!!

Thanks for that Tim.......mine are going to have to wait i put the potatoes in late! I'm thinking as i dig the potatoes i can start putting in the leeks. That will mean the leeks will be nicely staggered in size as well! ;D

As Tim says they are at their best  just dug up, steamed, and on the plate within a few hours, leeks can deffo wait and as Kea says plant as you go along, be sure to firm the ground before you dib them in though.  ;D ;D ;D

Knowing that 'earlies do not store very well I have cut down the amount of earlies I grow and have replaced the growing space with 2nd earlies and maincrop.

For the record I find that 40 plants of earlies meet my needs until the maincrop is ready.

My potato crop this year is;

40 Rocket

100 Kestrel

32 Fir Apple

This takes up a bed and a half or put another way; the equivalent of a 45ft x 5ft wide bed.

Initially I do not store them, I just dig them up as required.

At the end of the season and before the frosts I lift whats left and bag them up in paper bags I get FOC from our local seed merchant!

OK this method can make them more susceptible to slug damage hence my choice in varieties! these are slug resistant.

Admittedly I am now a lonesome widower, so my requirements are not so great, but I find that 4 (yes, four) Rocket plants are all I need.  All have now been dug up and cropped once and replanted, and I shall be digging one up for its second cropping tomorrow.  It`ll be replanted again in case the Sharpes Express aren`t ready when I`ve dug up the rest for the 2nd time.

As you will all know when you lift new potatoes their skins are very soft and peel off. This is why they will not store well. As stated earlier if you must lift them I would chop the haulms off and leave them for 7-10 days before lifting and storing.