Potato woes - what to do?

[FoxHillGardener]

I've just been out to dig up some of my rocket potatoes and come back in all glum.

Some plants had just loads of tiny marble-sized tubers, others had one great big one and nothing else, and only a couple with 3-4 what I'd call normal new potato sized ones. Overall really rubbish yield, half my patch dug up for enough to feed 4 people once. They went in on 30th March, so they've just had their 12 weeks. Shouldn't there be more by now?

Mind you last year was my first attempt at potatoes and I did them in compost sacks and got fewer out than I'd put in as the slugs just kept eating all the foliage. Talking of which, the foliage did ok this year, but most of the bigger tubers have got loads of slug tunnels in them. They're in the ground now, but it's clayey and it's first year as veg patch

So, questions - why the rubbish yield? what might I be doing wrong?

and, should I just dig up the lot now - even though there are still lots of tiny ones that might grow? I'm thinking elsewise the slugs will have the lot. I can make them into something to freeze if they won't keep very well.

Oh and I got bitten by loads of mozzies while I was out there

[Tam]

Next year I would put in as much rotted muck and compost as you can manage in the proposed potato plot before you plant your seed potatoes. You could also water in some nematodes to see to the keel slugs.

[Alice]

12 weeks. I think that's the problem. I would give them a few weeks more and see what happens. Leave them till the foliage turns yellow and starts to die down. Good luck.

[FoxHillGardener]

Thanks for your replies

12 weeks. I think that's the problem. I would give them a few weeks more and see what happens. Leave them till the foliage turns yellow and starts to die down. Good luck.

I thought I was being restrained at 12 weeks - I thought it was more 10-12 weeks to harvest
They flowered a couple of weeks back and the foliage on about a quarter of them is going yellow. Will leave the rest to see what happens and risk more slugs.

Tam, I've not tried nemotodes since it's so clayey - anyone find them any good on heavy clay?

[zazen999]

Just what I was going to suggest; it has been rather chilly this year and the 12 weeks is really based on a 'normal' year - whatever one of those is?

Saying that, our rockets went in 2 weeks after yours, in the midlands, in clay and we've had over a kilo of spuds, and that's from digging one plant up and furtling another 4...so strange that yours are so small when you are earlier and more southern. Perhaps it is the slugs???

[Tam]

FHG, you really want to try and improve the soil - I know as I'm on very heavy clay. I rotovated the whole garden (garden ? there wasn't even weeds on it) and I didn't throw up one worm ! Now parts of the garden are really a pleasure to work in, you can even pull large weeds out with their roots and you couldn't dig up a dessertspoonful of soil without disturbing at least one worm. It will take a lot of work and a lot of worm food, rotted muck, compost, cardboard mulch. Our Freecycle often offers topsoil or you could buy a load. Sharp sand is also handy if you can get it. I agree that nematodes are not so happy in clay, but if you could make a start on the soil improvement you could probably try them next year. Good luck anyway.

[FoxHillGardener]

Righto, leave 'em be and see what happens and more muck.

This garden is new to me this year and I want to improve the soil all round but I'm still trying to find a practical way of aquiring loads of muck without a car. should try harder

[janto]

hi
my rocket went in on 28th feb,now i have dug them up this week.3 rows went in i have got about a sack per row.its has taken me 2 years to improve my plot ,thios is the best so far.is there no stables near you they allways have plenty and are glad to get rid of it.
keep trying.its worth it in the end.

[FoxHillGardener]

its has taken me 2 years to improve my plot ,thios is the best so far.is there no stables near you they allways have plenty and are glad to get rid of it.
keep trying.its worth it in the end.

Hi Janto, There are a couple of places not that far away that are happy for you to take their horse muck, but my problem is transporting it. I don't think it would make me many friends on the bus