The Return of the Spud

[WiZeR]

Hi Guys

Last year I planted spuds in a large plant pot in the garden. They did really well and I was happily earthing up. Midway through summer my neighbour told me that the spuds would be ready when the plant flowered. I waited and waited and not a single flower grew, so I assumed something had gone wrong and just left them at the bottom of the garden. On fireworks night we used the plant pot to launch some rockets from and the next morning there where lots of little spuds on top of the soil! I later learned that maincrop dont flower? Doh!

Anyway. The plant pot was left again and now it has started sprouting. The question is: Are they safe to continue growing? and if so should I 'thin' the shoots out or just leave them and continue earthing up to the top

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks for that Wizer - I wondered why some of mine didn't flower last year.

[WiZeR]

anyone know if they are safe to keep growing?

[Alice]

Interesting situation Wizer. Not sure what you mean by safe. I would say if the potatoes look allright they are allright.

[Lesley Jay]

We had some potato plants spring up one year from some potatoes that we missed and they were great. Some of them were Desiree which is a main crop but we dug them up early and they were lovely.

[WiZeR]

Thanks, there are obviously quite a few tubers in there, is it wise to thin it out a bit? Or just leave them to it?

[GardenFan]

Tricky one this, I suspect last years growth will condense the room for growing new potatoes from it. Taking out the potatoes that have now sprouted may be tricky unless they are near the surface. The fact you have also used the pot for fireworks may mean your soil surface will be contaminated so if you start digging around you spread that. What you may be best doing is removing the first few inches of top soil as carefully as you can and see if any tubers can be removed with the growth in place. Because of the contaminate risk I am not sure if its safe to throw what remains on a compost and may be best being removed another way.

[SueA]

WiZeR, your spuds should be fine as it's only the same as if you had kept a few of your crop to use as seed potatoes this year ,I would take a few out if they seem too crowded though or you will only get tiny potatoes.My first & second earlies never flower either- you just have to judge how long they have been growing & or feel around in the compost to see how big the spuds are before you lift them.

[Strepsy]

Sorry to hijack the thread but it's raised a question for me. Will my first early Sharpe's Express flower or die down, or show any indication of when to harvest?

[Lesley Jay]

Normally the potato plants flower and then the foliage starts to die. That is when I would start harvesting my potatoes. However with earlies just mark on the calender when you plant the seed potatoes and count off 13 weeks and that is when they should be ready to harvest.

[bramble]

Have done the same with british queens that were left in the ground and started to groe early. We dug them up early and they were lovely. Ate them with no ill efects.

[pigletwillie]

Bramble, I understand British Queen is a popular spud over the Irish Sea so am growing it for the first time this year. How do you find it?

[sewer rat]

PW
Earlier this year, when potato varieties was a hot topic on the vine, a number of grapes raved about British Queen. On the basis of this, and on the recommendation of Kev, my local GC owner, I too am growing it for the first time.

[Jaxom]

I have a bucket of BQ going great guns in my garden. Red Duke of York is growing the fastest though.
Last autumn I loved the BQ potatoes. I had never had them before but in one sitting they became firm favourites.

[bramble]

Sorry Pigletwillie must have missed your post. Yes, british queens are well favoured here. I find them really good, great yield, good flavor and plenty of them. Would recommend them. Good luck with yours.