When to harvest early pots

[serenity]

Harvested my first potatoes on Monday, swift were very disappointing, bland is an understatement . First time I have ever grown spuds. I only chose that variety because the were supposedly good in pots and also very quick to mature. Won’t bother again. Am now waiting for he lady crystal

[potterfanpete]

Lol me and my dad have just planted our second earlies! I know we're a bit late, but we got our allotment about 10 days ago, so getting them in is really a bonus!

[Snadger]

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I've already eaten these Charlottes and Cherie from my buckets and very delicious they were. I was pleased with the Cherie as I'd never grown them before.

Never heard of Cherie before Alice! They look a bit like a de-nobbled Pink Fir Apple! Are they a tasty spud??

[Alice]

Yes Snadger, the Cherie were excellently flavoured. They do look like Fir Apple without the bumps. I'm sure they're a cross of some kind. I've got some more still to come and I'll definately be planting them again.

[Flummery]

Lady Crystle is great Serenity. And Charlotte - another nice waxy salading spud.

[daisychook]

Harvested my first pot of earlies today after fertling around!!!

How disappointing, 10 pots the size of golf balls, and about 20 the size of marbles.

They had flowered, so thought they were ready!!!

Either my husbandry isnt good for growing potatoes, or I harvested to early?

Any ideas please?. And just to be annoying and useless I cant remember the variety, I think they were planted end of Feb?? (Doh! sorry!!!)

[Cutecumber]

I don't hold with the "ready soon after flowering" theory at all. It seems to me that that is when the tubers are just beginning to form, certainly on the earlies.

Daisychook - you probably have another 3 or 4 weeks or so to go, ideally.

Serenity - swift are tasteless, I'm afraid. They are grown because they are quick and have less top-growth, but that is the sum of their benefits. Flavour is also, in my experience, affected by the growing medium. The potatoes I grew in the ground had a better flavour than those in pots.

I know Alice already has a good crop, but she's just making us all too impatient

[noidea]

We don't have any flowers as yet on the earlies but to be honest I can't remember when they went in. About 5 weeks ago i think.. maybe 6...

We have a lot of foliage though.

C

[Flummery]

Always worth making a note of when you planted, noidea. My father-in-law reckons you should let them have 14 weeks in the ground. I usually weaken after 12 but much before that the crop is too small to justify the space. If you can get them into pots under cover in January you are going to get an earlier crop but I would say they still need that 3 months growing time.

[Cutecumber]

I think you're right, Lesley. Traditionally, this was the advice for maincrops, but I am increasingly coming round to the idea that it's best for earlies, too.

If you want small potatoes for a particular reason, or if you can't keep up with the watering (they often flag in the heat when we get into June), then pull them up while the haulms are still strong... otherwise try and keep away for longer than you think!

Unfortunately, I really need the pots for some late autumn crops, so they better hurry up!!

[shirlthegirl43]

I am growing some charlotte for the first time - they have been growing in buckets since 10 March and look good and healthy. Just had a broggle and no evidence of spuds yet - do charlotte flower? I know that many of my spuds in buckets didn't flower last year and thought I would ask. Kinda upset since I hoped there would be some sign now!

[Moglets]

I have Charlottes and Pentland Javelin in bags, both planted Easter weekend, loads of foilage, but had a rummage Saturday and nothing. So guess these need until mid/end of June. Just planted another 3 of each to keep me going. First year growing anything so the anticipation is tremendous.

[Flummery]

Keep them well watered in buckets - it's surprising how much they drink in order to swell the tubers. Also, they really do need at least 3 months to fill out.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Well done Alice you've done really well! My ones on the lottie (earlies) are just starting to flower but the ones in buckets arent yet. Just biding my time! Bernie