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If it is anything to go by I should have a good crop of potatoes judging by the quality and amount of foliage above ground. The plants are flowering at the moment. Should one wait til the flowers have withered and then harvest or wait further still till all the foilage has also died away. And if so can the potatoes be left in the ground through the winter until required to maintain freshness. Thanks for your advice.
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If they are earlies then you could be digging them now and next month as and when you need them, mainly as salad potatoes.
If they are maincrop, then wait until the leaves (haulms) have died down, then dig them up (September time) and let them dry out fully in the sun. Store them in paper or hessian bags. Don't leave them in the ground, they will get eaten and/or rot. -
Thanks Mark - certainly won't leave them in the ground then. Guess I'm gonna have to have a peep underground to see what is happening for rather foolishly I don't know what variety they are. All I can say is I bought the seed potatoes in a pre-packed bag in Tescos, and never checked if they were earlies or maincrop. The flowers are mauve coloured but I imagine that won't help with regards to identifying their type. Will know to be more sensible next year.Comment
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Have a bit of a furtle at the roots of one and see if any tatties are evident. If you aren't sure whether they are earlies, 2nd earlies or maincrop I would just leave them until the tops die down and harvest them then. However if, after having a furtle you think there may be enough tattie on a single plant for supper, dig it up sample the potato for supper and take it from there!Originally posted by cheops View PostMy Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)
Diversify & prosper
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Thanks Snadger, that makes a lot of sense what you say [though lol, had to think for a minute what furtle meant]
Actually have just returned from Tescos and would you believe they still have some of the seed potatoes I bought ages ago [which is ridiculous as they are all wrinkled now and leathery]. However that was my chance to look at the label and the variety is Pink Fir Apple, so hopefully google will tell me if they are earlies or what. Thanks again.Comment
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They are main crop - you would do better to leave them till end August, maybe September - depending on where you are. The young couple who have the other half of my lottie planted PFA knowing it was a salad potato - so assuming it was early. He dug up a root last week and it was empty! Still, he'll be harvesting lovely salad spuds when mine are all gone!Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.
www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - SpringComment
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Thks Flummery. I don't mind waiting. I'm actually in Croydon so that being South East means it a bit warmer though drier than up North. Is there not a general rule of thumb to go by, like wait till all flowering has died off, or wait till the leaves start to decay or is just not as simple as that?Comment
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Flummery, as a matter of interest - what colour were the flowers on the potato plants on the other half of your lottie. I ask this because mine are mauve yet when I looked up ' The British Variety Potato Base ' they state the flowers of Pink Fir Apple are white. ?????Comment
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I think they were mauve, cheops, but I'll check this afternoon when I go down to pick some kale.Originally posted by cheops View PostWhoever plants a garden believes in the future.
www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - SpringComment
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They have 2 types - one mauve and one white! But it's the white they have tried so I'm assuming that the PFA have a white flower. Not grown it myself though.Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.
www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - SpringComment
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