Christmas Spuds

[Peteyd]

I'd quite like to grow some potatoes for Christmas this year. My main crop of potatoes was a resounding failure with about half going to the slugs / scab (still open for debate as to what actually happened!)

Does anyone have (i'm sure lots do) any experience, advice. tips, tricks and obvious pitfalls.

i was thinking about getting some (not sure what variety - again suggestions welcome), popping them in a dustbin in the greenhouse, and seeing how we get on.

looking forward to hearing peoples views on this one!

[Jungle Jane]

Remember to earth them up,it’s easy to forget they’re there,mine were in a bag next to the house for frost protection,I don’t have a greenhouse. Charlotte potatoes never seem to have a scab problem,they’re a really good potato,slugs have never eaten the actual potatoes grown in bags,they eat a bit of leaf though. It’s a good idea,it’s nice to harvest new potatoes in the winter.

[Peteyd]

I suppose something i should have also asked... Does anywhere even sell seed potatoes at this time of year or have i well and truly missed the boat for the year??

[Penellype]

I think its getting a bit late for planting Christmas spuds. The advice is to plant in mid summer, although you can get away with August if you plant them in a greenhouse. Daylight disappears rapidly at this time of year, making starting anything much in September quite tricky. I would be reluctant to spend money on seed potatoes now, even if you can find them (doubtful).

The main issues with trying to grow new potatoes for Christmas are blight and frost. Both are less likely to be a problem if you can grow them in a greenhouse, as long as any tomatoes grown in there have not got blight. You can get around the frost problem if you haven't yet got space in the greenhouse by planting them in bags or buckets so they are moveable. I have tried to grow Charlotte for Christmas (often the only variety available) and lost them to blight in October each time. I've given up trying.

[Peteyd]

Thanks for the Replies both, its a shame but i thought that would very much be the case.

i will have to try again next year. i must put something in the calendar to get some much earlier next year.

[MeFeinMcCabe]

I planted some Charlottes yesterday in a raised bed, will protect against frost later on.

[Chippy Minton]

Ours arrived late July. Put 5 straight in to a potato barrel, they've just started flowering, so too soon! Put 3 in pots next to the greenhouse a couple of weeks later, they're just showing. Put the rest in the ground at the allotted space, they're not through. Hoping that the pots moved in to the greenhouse will produce enough and the ones in the barrel will keep under the compost. Likely the open air ones will either be nothing or very small spuds.

Did it last year and basically it's a real trick of timing to get anything worthy of the name on Christmas day. 10 tubers planted and after attrition (mostly badgers) got just enough for a portion each. World's most expensive spuds That was the first time in about 5 years of trying we actually got anything worthy of cooking. However for the fun of it we'll keep doing it and hoping for the best

[Peteyd]

My brilliant idea was to get a couple of black bins and pop them in the greenhouse. that way they would have plenty of space and would be kept slightly warmer that outside.

going by the info online that Charlotte potatoes take between 15 and 17 weeks to get to harvest, i guess planting time would be between the end of august and now?

either way, i'll try and remember to give it a go next year, i guess i need to remember to order early.

[ameno]

going by the info online that Charlotte potatoes take between 15 and 17 weeks to get to harvest, i guess planting time would be between the end of august and now?

either way, i'll try and remember to give it a go next year, i guess i need to remember to order early.

You'll need to plant earlier than that. That time frame is based on spring and early summer temperatures and light levels. In autumn and early winter, they'll take longer, even in a greenhouse.

[Peteyd]

Thinking about it, of course you're right Ameno, i guess the dont get anywhere near as much sun as they would in say march / April / June.

[Nicos]

Why not plant some anyway...you know you want to!

They may well not be ready for Xmas but you'll be chuffed to eat them in the Spring (that's if they don't rot or the slugs/mice don't get to them first)

[Peteyd]

Why not plant some anyway...you know you want to!

They may well not be ready for Xmas but you'll be chuffed to eat them in the Spring (that's if they don't rot or the slugs/mice don't get to them first)

haha. You're quite right, i would. i just can't get hold of any seed potatoes. nowhere appears to sell them at this time of year (presumably because they think that no-one would be foolish enough to try it...)

[peanut]

haha. You're quite right, i would. i just can't get hold of any seed potatoes. nowhere appears to sell them at this time of year (presumably because they think that no-one would be foolish enough to try it...)

You can use shop bought potatoes. I just let them chit a little bit and plant up as usual.

[peanut]

I agree with the potential risks mentioned by Nicos, but I have never had any problems using ordinary shop bought potatoes.

[Peteyd]

Right, That settles it. I'm going to give it old college try and see how i get on!

For what it will cost and for the little space it will take up i might as well.