Potatoespotatoespotatoes!

[WeeGarden]

Erm. I got confused and seem to have made an error in ordering, so have ended up with 1kg of first early, but 3 kg of maincrop

I have:
Mayan gold
Manitou
Sarpo Mira

Just wondering... do I have to leave potatoes to reach maturity? Could I dig up early as long as I'm happy that they haven't reached maximum size? I'm thinking about the gap between first earlies and the maincrops being "ready". (Also, how do I know when potatoes are ready?

Thanks in advance, oh potato experts!

[Mr Bones]

Sarpo Mira are best dug early rather than late as they have better flavour when small.

[Jungle Jane]

You might have a lot of first earlies to eat while you wait for the main crop,the gap could be good. First earlies are ready at about 12 weeks,when the leaves start to die down (some flower) is when the tubers are at their biggest,when they’ve used every nutrient in the leaves,it’s too early to harvest if the leaves are all green & healthy looking,the potatoes would be too small or non existent. You could plant some earlies this month with all the main crop & some earlies next month to have a staggered harvest of earlies if you want.

[4Shoes]

Erm. I got confused and seem to have made an error in ordering, so have ended up with 1kg of first early, but 3 kg of maincrop

I have:
Mayan gold
Manitou
Sarpo Mira

Just wondering... do I have to leave potatoes to reach maturity? Could I dig up early as long as I'm happy that they haven't reached maximum size? I'm bunking about the gap between first earlies and the maincrops being "ready". (Also, how do I know when potatoes are ready?

Thanks in advance, oh potato experts!

Sarpo Mira

Quick look with google would tend to agree that sarpo can be eaten ant any time, so would tend to go for

Early
Sarpo Mira
and then Mayan gold or Manitou

[ecudc]

Mayan gold is a cracking potato. Makes the best wedges/chips ever... Don't parboil them though or you will loose the crispness. I think I lifted some of mine a little earlier last year. They aren't a huge size when mature, maybe a bit bigger than Charlotte size, so if you think they are big enough then give it a go.

[WeeGarden]

Thanks. Will save half my earlies for putting in later. Can't do anything at the moment, went to plant today but allotment is still waterlogged.

[Jungle Jane]

I haven’t planted any yet either,maybe tomorrow hopefully

[WeeGarden]

Thanks 4shoes! Will harvest in that order

[WeeGarden]

Mayan gold is a cracking potato. Makes the best wedges/chips ever... Don't parboil them though or you will loose the crispness. I think I lifted some of mine a little earlier last year. They aren't a huge size when mature, maybe a bit bigger than Charlotte size, so if you think they are big enough then give it a go.

Thanks for the advice! It's my first year of properly doing potatoes. Just threw 3 purple majesty in a raised bed last year. Didn't even know there was such a thing as early/second/main crop then

[Mr Bones]

I have some Purple Majesty to put in this year, when planting spuds each seed gets a good handful of blood fish and bone sprinkled around it.

[Nicos]

Slightly off topic....
Each time I read the title of this thread I think of Harley motor bikes (the sound the exhaust makes as it's ticking over is 'potatopotatopotato')
Yeh...I had an interesting upbringing!

Sorry....as you were.....

[nickdub]

Slightly off topic....
Each time I read the title of this thread I think of Harley motor bikes (the sound the exhaust makes as it's ticking over is 'potatopotatopotato')
Yeh...I had an interesting upbringing!

Sorry....as you were.....

Its possible that extensive psychiatric help might alleviate your problems, on the other hand, if you're happy as you are, then "carry on" sounds like the best policy :-)

[Nicos]

Thank you Mommy

[nickdub]

You're V welcome, though I'm not sure that I'm prepared to go through the necessary gender re-assignment to fir in with your chosen designation of me. :-)

[Derbydal]

I have some Purple Majesty to put in this year, when planting spuds each seed gets a good handful of blood fish and bone sprinkled around it.

Mr B, it's no good me putting BFB in with my spuds the badgers & foxes dig it out and owt thats in the hole with it ! so its a sprinkle of growmore and a few slug pellets to get em going .atb Dal.