When Do I Pull My Pots?

[darran91]

Hi All
This is my first year to growing veg, i have just managed to get an allotment, but earlier this year i turned one side of my garden to veg. Most things above the ground you can tell when there ready. However when do i pull my spuds? I planted early April... any help would be great
Darran 91

[blossom]

Do you know what type they were?

[soobeth]

you pull them when the flowers have died off

[conifer bill]

darran91

HI Darran,
Had the same problem myself,regarding lifting spuds.All was answered in the latest GYO. Basically earlies can be lifted when in flower,I have Arran PILOT 1st early,and Wilja 2nd early.I lifted AP in the begining of the month and am lifting Wilja now.Yield poor.If you are unsure of the variety it may be an idea to lift a trial haulm to see what they are like, you can then make a judgment.Lates are usually lifted when the haulms have completely died dowm.If in doubt scrape into the side of a haulm and see how they are doing.Make sure you place the soil back, otherwise the slugs may have a go.I find that slug dammage is terrible, you can lose a crop in no time.Hope I have helped and not confused.Good Luck Conifer Bill

[Sunbeam]

I've just dug up all my king eds - all greenery had died off & the ground was getting quite waterlogged with the rain we've had- they are tiny !! I was due to pull them in three weeks time anyway - they are approx the size of new pots - why aren't they bigger????

[Alice]

Hello Daren, this question comes up on the vine all the time. If you go in to search you will find a lot of information. But generally, first earlies are ready after 10 to 13 weeks, second earlies ready after 13 to 16 weeks and maincrops after 20 to 22 weeks. If you don't know which category your potatoes come into but do know the variety,type it into your search box and see what comes up. If you don't know what variety they are then as a rule of thumb they are ready when the shaws start to die down . Soobeth is right in that they are ready after they flower BUT they don't all flower - or they abort the flowers. Anyway, what ever you planted in April, they are well ready. Dig them up and enjoy. Hope you get a bumper crop.

[darran91]

Thanks for all the advice. I carefully scraped the soil away on 1 plant and the potato was great, perfect even. I am waiting until the weekend as i promised my Son he could help dig them up, but it all looks great... Is it sad feeling proud about your pots?
Anyway thanks again

[williams4]

darran it is not sad to feel proud about yuor pots, i grew some for the first time this year and when i dug them i had a smile from ear to ear. it is a great feeling that after all the hardwork you put in over the year that you have actually managed to grow something. hope you and your son have a great time at the weekend.
Mark.

[Nicos]

I can never wait for my spuds...and for that reason always grow a salad potato which can be taken a bit 'too' early -ie tiny spuds ( think of M&S baby Charlotte and what they charge for them!! ). May seem a bit of a waste of what might have been, but there again we always seem to plant too many anyway! Half the fun of growing spuds for me is gently flicking away the soil ,early in the season ,to find the hidden gems Now is THAT sad??! Think not!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Darren - nope its not sad to be proud of your tatties! Im one of the proudest ever people to grow spuds for the first time this year - am well chuffed with my results - because the tops were dying off and the ground well waterlogged decided to dig them up yesterday - they are now drying off inside my greenhouse ready for storage. Am getting soil ready to plant my next batch of carlingfords (from adam at seedsforsuccess) good luck with yours! dexterdog

[Snadger]

Yes it is very sad...but what the hell? Be proud of being sad is what I say!!!