When to chit potatoes?

[andy armitage]

Hi all we are newbies to all this we have dug over our plot now and put down raised beds. we have bought some earlies second earlies and a main crop the thing is Linda doesn't know when to do them. we don't want them all at the same time so what do we do? Can the second earlies also be the main crop do they all go in at once so confusing, we have 12 foot by 4 foot beds how many potatoes would you plant in there, I can't believe how complex this growing lark is there is a lot to it isn't there! Also we want some asparagus plants and strawberry plants is there a good place to buy online or do we go local?
many thanks
Andy & Linda

[Hazel at the Hill]

Well done to both of you - raised beds sound fab!

Personally, I'd put all the potatoes out to chit now (i.e. light place FROST FREE in egg boxes or similar with the eyes facing up).

Second earlies will go in first (I'm guessing at mid march - but if the weather is vile, leave it a week or two). The packet should have the spacings/planting times on.

The mains can go in a couple of weeks later (or, if you are impatient, at the same time). The thing to remember is that spud foliage and frost DO NOT MIX, so drum your fingers and delay if it's cold.

Second earlies will be ready to dig after (I think!) 12 weeks (although I started to 'furtle' under the soil for my first earlies after 10 1/2 weeks last year and found the spuds big enough to eat. Maincrop take a bit longer (a couple of weeks).

I'd dig up the second earlies as you want them, and leave all the maincrop ones alone in the ground till you're ready to eat them. When the tops are starting to die back, I'd dig up all the maincrops (sunny dry day in early September - leave on the soil surface for a couple of hours to 'set' the skins) and bag them in thick sacks (hessian, or you can get brown potato sacks from your greengrocer if you ask nicely!) and store in a cool dark place, like the garage.

I did the above and have been eating potatoes since 10 May last year and am still eating them now. Very scrummy they are too!.

Good luck with them!

[Snadger]

You never see the farmers chitting there maincrop spuds!

Earlies.......yes........Maincrop.........no............in my opinion!

[andy armitage]

thanks for that hazel, you didn't mention when first earlies go in would that be fairly soon or at the same time as second earlies? We got a bag of each, I don't know it that was right or we have too many but that's how they came, how long will they store in the garage? Linda was thinking of chitting them on the windowledge of the spare bedroom would this be a good place for them, I really appreciate your advice as we bought lots of seeds on saturday and it's all so new and confusing but we are really excited about it all, I am sure things will go wrong but I bet tht's all part of the fun, one question why are there so many different pests that want to eat everything you grow!

[andy armitage]

Hi snadger so do you just plant the main stright in as whole potatoes?

[Snadger]

Hi snadger so do you just plant the main stright in as whole potatoes?

Yep...........the bigger the better! Big seed tatties for big crops, methinks!

Hens egg size is recommended.........but once again I follow the lead of the farmers who use big tatties!

[veg4681]

Also we want some asparagus plants and strawberry plants is there a good place to buy online or do we go local?
many thanks
Andy & Linda

Sorry don't know much about potatoes but I do know strawberries are very affordable at Wilko at the moment. They have 3 varieties of
Honeoye (early season),
Elsanta (mid season) and
Ostara (perpetual/everbearer)
each pack with 3 strawberry runners at £1.50.

Having said that, I just bought a pack of 6 strawberry runners (Cambridge variety) from Woolies for £1.99 . Last year I bought Wilko's strawberry and I can say it works. I find garden centres just too dear for strawberry. There are lots of online suppliers for strawberry if you want more choice on varieties and growing from seeds is also another option.

Wilko also sells Asparagus crowns, a pack of 3 crowns for £2 but I haven't figured how many are needed for a decent crop.

[HeyWayne]

(hessian, or you can get brown potato sacks from your greengrocer if you ask nicely!)

Bladdy hell woman, you got a greengrocer? Lucky thing you!

andy,

Based on my limited experience I put all (2nds and mains) my spuds in at the same time last year. Started pulling the seconds as I was using them from about early June onwards. I planted all of mine - main and 2nds, in mid March (I seem to recall reading something about planting around St Patricks day).

Good luck with them, they are really rewarding, and I managed to convert one of my friends 6 year old daughter, who had previously disliked spuds!

This year I am probably going to try all three - 1st, 2nd and main crop. Fingers crossed.

Whatever you do, just be sure to enjoy it.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Most growing things are pretty forgiving, Andy - the list of things to do and how to do them is hugely daunting, but as soon as you give it a go in practice it falls into place, more or less.

And if you do make a gigantic cock-up of it, there's always next year!

One thing I would advise tho' would be to space the rows generously, and label the rows. If the rows are too close together, it's a right bugger to get your fork between them without spearing your precious and beautiful spuds!

[andy armitage]

we are thinking of chitting on the the spare bedroom window is this ok it won't be too warm will it?

[Flummery]

Leave the heating off! I use my spare room and we don't have the radiator on in there. It's ideal.

[Waffler]

Anyone after hessian sacks? I was wandering past a pet shop a couple of years back and they had all their rubbish outside in a hessian sack; when I went in and asked for it, they said they were just emptying another one (of nuts or bird seed I think?) and I could take the rubbish-free one. Might be worth asking around.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Leave the heating off! I use my spare room and we don't have the radiator on in there. It's ideal.

Yep - I don't encourage guests either!

[Snadger]

Anyone after hessian sacks? I was wandering past a pet shop a couple of years back and they had all their rubbish outside in a hessian sack; when I went in and asked for it, they said they were just emptying another one (of nuts or bird seed I think?) and I could take the rubbish-free one. Might be worth asking around.

Local chip shop is handy for free brown paper potato sacks!

[Flummery]

Yep - I don't encourage guests either!

After 3 days, fish and visitors stink! Chinese proverb.