Are my potatoes ready?

[Bluemchen]

I planted a couple of rows of Swift in the first week in May under landscaping fabric, probably only 3-4" deep, and maybe 12" apart. 3 or 4 of the plants have flowered (no flowers left now), but not the rest. I dug up two plants today, and got only 12 spuds, 4 of which were teeny-tiny (broad bean) size. One I found has dissolved to mush - my plot has flooded three times this year! The foliage looks healthy.

Should I harvest or wait a while? Don't want to loose them to rot, if that what caused the mush.

Your opinions please!!
Thanks.

[PAULW]

BLUE
The one that was mush was the seed potato you planted, as for the number of spuds on a plant this is a lottery you can dig a plant and have 4 spuds and the one next to it will give you 20 it is all part of the rich tapestry which is gardening

[zazen999]

Hi
I've been harvesting my rockets now for 2 or 3 weeks, but only dug one up to see what it was like. I just dig under the foliage until I come across a spud that looks big enough and take it out- leaving the little ones to grow on. I'll be doing this for another few weeks yet.

Mine went in about 3 weeks before yours, so you could have a furtle under the soil under the foliage and take any out that are big enough for you. You could leave the rest there for a bit longer though.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i planted nicola and something else (a red one) around beginning may - dug up one of each a couple of days ago, some lovely small salad potatoes and some smaller than marbles - i think will be another 3-4 weeks before digging any more up ....

[terrier]

As long as the foliage is healthy, the potatoes are still growing, so maximum yield will be when the foliage starts to die off. Don't be too hasty to dig them up.