why no potatoes?

[Clarea1]

Having always grown potatoes in pots with success, I am stumpted as to why when i had lifted a few plants the other day - there are no spuds!? Some plants had a few but it was a poor show! The varieties are Aran Pilot and Sharpes express. They are about 8 weeks in the ground - is it still abit early? There were a few small supds but not really many at all compapred to previous lots.

Could it be due to so much wet weather and the seasons being a bit off? I started them off at the end of March in trenches filled with manure (Westlands bagged stuff not fresh)

Should I leave them a bit longer or is it a bit optimistic to think they will make up the volume!

[sewer rat]

Hi Clarea1
8 weeks is a wee bit premature - earlies should be given about thirteen weeks before you lift them. I'd leave them a while longer, though I would have thought you should have found some baby tubers - they should be beginning to swell up about now as the plant will have put on all it's top growth and it's this top growth that feeds the plant and therefore the tubers.

[Clarea1]

oh dear - me and my [over]enthusiasm!

I do hope thats the reason. They are just getting flower buds on if that is any indicator?

[Alice]

Clarea, hold your horses. Rat is absolutely right. 8weeks! Give your potatoes 13 weeks then let us know about the size of your crop.