How do you know when your potatoes are ready to harvest?

[veggiechicken]

I had some earlies in a pot, started in the GH then put outside, but, with all the rain it became waterlogged. Moral - better drainage needed next time. I did have some spuds though so it wasn't a complete disaster.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I had some earlies in a pot, started in the GH then put outside, but, with all the rain it became waterlogged. Moral - better drainage needed next time. I did have some spuds though so it wasn't a complete disaster.

I think a lot of us have been caught out this year VC. My spuds are OK but I have lost a couple of strawberries from planters where they have sat for years. Just to much rain.

Colin

[gardenpassion]

I have a few flowers coming, last year I dug up my earlies when flowering, and mostly great, though a few underdeveloped tubers.
Problemo this year is the rain...... its washed off the name lables so I cant remember which are 1st/2nd earlies and maincrop.... OOPS !!
Not sure what to do now!!

[binley100]

I planted mine into the bottom of trenches thinking it would be easier for earthing up just to tip the soil into the trench . Trouble is now with all the earthing up they've had the tatties will probably be in Ferals backyard ........

[Vince G]

When we had our cental heating replaced last winter, there was a smallish tank that came out of the loft about 2ft square and high, so I thought I'd try to grow some in that. Planted 2 Rocket seed pots in it in mid-Feb and gradually added more compost as the foliage grew, eventually rigt to the rim of the tank. Watered profusely, covered in a sack when frosty. Got fewer potatoes than in Currysniffa's photo, probably about two-thirds as many actually. Damn tasty having your own new post in early May though!!

Very difficult to know when to lift new pots though. Got a few Arran Pilot at the lottie that don't look anywhere near ready, but the Nadines (which I was told are second earlies) have fully open flowers. Surely they're not ready yet, and certainly shouldn't be ready before the first earlies that went in 3 weeks before they did..?!

Trouble is, if you dig one up to have a gander, and there's bugger all spuds yet you've lost a plant, but if you leave them too long, you end up with something the size of a grapefruit, which is not the idea with new pots...aaaaaaargh!