saggy potato

[newtogarden]

Please help! despite being watered every day my potatoes (in pots) have gone all limp and bendy..have I killed them? Thanks.

[Nicos]

Hi there!
I've moved your thread to a different section so more peeps will see it.

Sounds like you need to have a fiddle around in the soil down to a depth of 3" or so to see how much they are drying out before you are watering them.
I presume you have holes in the base of the pots to allow excess water out???

When were they planted? Have they flowered yet?

If they are in full sun they may well need watering twice a day.
Don't go off the surface of the soil as an indicator of how much water is needed-feel down a bit. They do need quite a bit so unless you have no drainage holes I'd have a guess they need more water...or if planted early ( what's your location by the way...it'd help if you put it in your profile ) they may actually be collapsing because the spuds are nearly ready for taking.

Hope that helps????

[Sanjo]

My first lot will be harvested tomorrow as the foliage has collapsed. These were planted in August (I think it was) as they were intended for Christmas spuds but they weren't ready then. They got left in the greenhouse, completely ignored, and it wasn't until I saw they had made quite a bit of growth in the middle of March that I started to water them and care for them. I am not too excited about it (unless tomorrow brings a HUGE bucket of baby spuds!) as any will be a bonus, but yes, if they have been in long enough and you have cared for them properly then they may well be ready to harvest. I know other grapes have already had some earlies. Have a little furtle and see if there are any usable spuds. I usually carefully slide the whole tub out onto a sheet, carefully rifle through and dig out the biggest, and if there are any little ones still attached to the main haulm, I carefully slide it back into the pot for it to grow on. Hope that helps. Sandra

[Potstubsdustbins]

Harvest my first Accord today planted in Morrison buckets. It is not unusual for the haulm to collapse in this size of bucket as there is just to much plant to support.

If you cold tell us what variety and what siz pots we may be able to offer more help.

Colin

[Sanjo]

And also whereabouts in the country you are as it sometimes help when people are offering advice.

[Oli]

Harvest my first Accord today planted in Morrison buckets. It is not unusual for the haulm to collapse in this size of bucket as there is just to much plant to support.

If you cold tell us what variety and what siz pots we may be able to offer more help.

Colin

Hi Colin - have yours flowered already? Mine are falling over too in buckets but haven't yet flowered so fo now I've tied them up! Should I harvest now or wait for flowers to come and die back?

Oli

[Sanjo]

My first lot will be harvested tomorrow as the foliage has collapsed. These were planted in August (I think it was) as they were intended for Christmas spuds but they weren't ready then. They got left in the greenhouse, completely ignored, and it wasn't until I saw they had made quite a bit of growth in the middle of March that I started to water them and care for them. I am not too excited about it (unless tomorrow brings a HUGE bucket of baby spuds!) as any will be a bonus, but yes, if they have been in long enough and you have cared for them properly then they may well be ready to harvest. I know other grapes have already had some earlies. Have a little furtle and see if there are any usable spuds. I usually carefully slide the whole tub out onto a sheet, carefully rifle through and dig out the biggest, and if there are any little ones still attached to the main haulm, I carefully slide it back into the pot for it to grow on. Hope that helps. Sandra

Quick update on my previous post. Harvested my large pot and got a kilo of usable Charlotte spuds and very nice they were too. There were a lot of tiny spuds still attached to the haulms so having watered the bottom of the container I have carefully lowered them back into the tub with the addition of some potato fertiliser I bought in the £1 shop. I watered and fertilised as I layered in the hope that the littlees will grow on.
I have to say how surprised I was as the lack of water down in the base of the tub. I haven't done it for a few days on the basis that I would be harvesting, but I was watering before that and would have expected more dampness.
Charlottes are second earlies I believe so not really ready yet but given that the haulms had collapsed (and I wanted the tub they were in!!!) I thought I'd give it a go. Since I have re-used the tub to replant the spuds I didn't gain much!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Oli,

I bought pre chitted seed by mistake but they sure grow quick, should have been another 2 weeks for me.

Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

Oli what variety are they some don't need to flower before harvest.

Colin

[Oli]

Thanks for getting back to me Colin. I believe they're Charlottes (though I got a bit trigger happy at planting time and they could be a few things - must label next year!)

Oli

[Potstubsdustbins]

Whoops something we have all done.

If they are Charlotte I think they are one of the best salad potatoe around. Should be planted out late March for harvesting from the end of June.

As they are in buckets you could have a gentle prod around or maybe even lift them gently out off the bucket to have a look see.

Colin

[Flummery]

Charlottes are actually a second early. You can leave some to harvest a bit later and get much bigger potaotes. (They make fabulous chips!)

By the way, some potatoes don't flower so don't wait for this as a sign they are ready.

[Florence Fennel]

Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs - I thought they all flowered, so I'm glad you told me that Flum, thank you.

[Potstubsdustbins]

QUOTE from Marshalls Seed Catalogue 2011 page five.

Marshalls Choice our most popular salad potato recommended by top chefs Charlotte!

Now where do we go on this one.

Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

Quote Suttons Seed Catalogue 2011 page 27.

Salad type Great beginner variety a latish first early Charlotte.

Quote Dobies catalogue 2011 page 33.

Salad types Charlotte classic salad potato.

Seems they are ganging up on you Flum.

Colin