Advice on which potatoes to plant when to get a continuous crop?

[JennieAtkinson]

Sorry to take you all back to an earlier topic - boring storage.

I saw Monty Don washing his potatoes on a programme the other night before storing them - should I have done this before putting them in hessian sacks? My skins were not good this year and although I did check everyone for disease thought a bit of dried soil on them might help.

Last year was my second year and we are still eating from my stores, but don't think I will get past March. So am trying to grow even more this year - first earlies, second earlies and early maincrop - not sure I would have enough of a growing season for late maincrops, but how did you get on in the Black Isle?

Geordie - I went for the wardrobe thought it might be easier than the figures, but great reading though. Makes you realise that what Mum and Dad taught me was based on science.

[sewer rat]

Jennie
Maincrops are not a problem in Easter Ross. What varieties are you gonna grow this season.
I've finally, after much hummin' and hawin' , decided on Foremost, Duke of York, British Queen, Rooster and Pink Fir Apple. I know Eileendubher on the Black Isle is also growing Pink Fir Apple - they are a salad potato - really waxy with a nutty taste (scrummy) and are a late maincrop. I first came across them in the kitchen garden of Dalcross Castle, by Inverness and they produced a good crop there.
Rat

[JennieAtkinson]

Sorry to take you all back to an earlier topic - boring storage.

I saw Monty Don washing his potatoes on a programme the other night before storing them - should I have done this before putting them in hessian sacks? My skins were not good this year and although I did check everyone for disease thought a bit of dried soil on them might help.

Can anyone answer this about washing potatoes before storing ?

[dni_dave]

washing

Jennie

We didn't wash ours before storing and they seem to be doing fine. I don't know whether they would have been better or not but you could try washing half next year and storing them separately and doing a trial. Don't forget to report back.

If it's good enough for Monty to do it then........ probably good enough for vine members without wishing to demean anyone of course!

[Lesley Jay]

Jennie if you wash them it's easier to see if there are any holes in the potatoes which would cause them to rot in store. Make sure though that they are dry before you put them in sacks.

[nick the grief]

He probably has loads of helpers on GW. I wouldn't have time to wash 8 rows of spuds as it's usually a race to get them up befoe the frosts

[Nicos]

Same here..

[Jaxom]

He probably has loads of helpers on GW. I wouldn't have time to wash 8 rows of spuds as it's usually a race to get them up befoe the frosts

I sometimes wonder how much gardening tv presenters actualy do?
Jax

[JennieAtkinson]

I'll do a 50:50 trial next year!

[jonny]

I only discovered this forum today, so I apologise for the late reply to the original question. Most points have been covered and if this one has....sorry. My experience with growing tatties had led me to realise that it is a waste of time trying to plant them too early as the soil is too cold and they do not grow. In the past I have planted over 4 consecutive weeks, from mid March to mid April and they all ended up the same, the first ones taking ages to get going and the last ones going straight away.
For the record, this year I will be growing Pink Fir Apple (lovely), Belle de Fontenay, Red Duke of York (which I have no experience of) and Cara (my all time favourite all rounder).
After the first flowering, have a look. If there are some small tubers, get stuck in. Keep digging throughout the season and store for the winter. We never run out all year round. It's a pity really that I prefer pasta:-)

[nick the grief]

Thats a good point Jonny, The old boy I used to work for when I was at school always said abouth the "...daft sods rushing to get the spuds in" From memory he always planted at easter, I guess this was the first bank holiday folks used to get in the old days, but there is logic to it.

[matt1267]

'Home Guard' Potatoes

HI, Someone has just given me some seed potatoes called Home Guard, apparently they are first earlies, has anyone grown these before, are they any good and does anyone think they would grow well in bags or containers?

Thanks, Matt

[nick the grief]

Here you go Matt, straight from the guru's ,mouth, well website anyway

http://www.alanromans.co.uk/product....=any&PT_ID=all

And I would think they would be OK in Bags, might need to use a big one as I'm not sure how big they get being an old variety compared to something like Swift. But if you've been given them you've nothing to loose & a bags full of lovely spuds to gain !

[bramble]

main crop potatoes

This evening when checking the labels on my potatoes I realized I had made a mistake and bought main crop potatoes thinking they were second earlies. As I have already chitted these and have them ready to plant how can I hold them over until the time is right for planting them.
They are Cara. Have already planted Sharps Express.

[Nicos]

well...you could leave them somewhere cooler with light, but I think that I wouldn't bother now and stick them all in when ready.