potato swift

[pmc]

It`s my first time growing potatoes. I planted some Swift earlies in buckets at the end of Jan. Started them off inside & moved them to the greenhouse about 6 weeks ago where they are doing really well.

2 questions -how do you know when they are ready & can you do anything with the soil once you`ve harvested?

[Demeter]

Some go by whether the plant has flowered or whether the leaves are starting to die back a bit but others go purely by the amount of time they have been growing (some varieties don't flower, and baby new potatoes will be ready before the plant thinks it has finished for the year).

I believe Swift are supposed to crop in about 8-10 weeks, add a couple of weeks at least because you planted so early when the temperature and light levels would have slowed growth - which would make it probably about time to think about furtling?! Have a gentle little furtle under the compost when you think they might be ready, to see what you can find. If you find potatoes worth eating, eat them. Otherwise wait a couple of weeks and try again

When you have finished with the soil, you can just add it to the garden / plot (if you have one) or you can use it for growing other veg. Personally I would not use it for toms, peppers, aubs or more potatoes, just in case of disease. But you can use it for salad, spring onions, a courgette etc. Make sure you add a little fertiliser (e.g. chicken pellets) especially if you are planning to grow a hungry plant like a courgette!

[Alice]

What Demeter says PMC and you can lay the bucket on its side, give it a wee squash round the sides to loosen it, slide out the contents and see what's there and if i's not ready slide it back in again. It will be fine. You can even pick a few potatoes and leave the smaller ones to grow on.

[pmc]

thanks I`ll have a furtle(?) around. Over the last couple of days some of the leaves have started to droop like they needed watering but I knew they didn`t. So can I use the soil for potting my beans?

[HayleyB]

Really useful thread, I have swifts as well so I'm gonna go a furtling too. I'll grow carrots in the bags afterwards as well.

[Glaurung]

Note that Swift potatoes only have very small flowers - quite easy to miss. Mine are flowering and beginning to droop, but I'm waiting for a bit more dieback to harvest (unless I get too impatient first). I've tried 'furtling', but can't find anything - am hoping the spuds are all deep down at the bottom of the dustbin. I did eath up right to the top of the dustbin, so that's hopefully quite likely. It's important to water well while the spuds are growing I'm told.

[pmc]

Haven`t seen any flowers but I had a dig around & found over a Kg of spuds. Can`t wait to cook them tonight! Not sure what size they are meant to be as mine were all different, but there weren`t any huge ones. I gave them a good water & I`m going to give them another week or so to grow. (unless I can`t wait)

[HayleyB]

I tried the furtle but I think I'm too early will have to wait a few more weeks

[Demeter]

Haven`t seen any flowers but I had a dig around & found over a Kg of spuds. Can`t wait to cook them tonight! Not sure what size they are meant to be as mine were all different, but there weren`t any huge ones. I gave them a good water & I`m going to give them another week or so to grow. (unless I can`t wait)

Fabulous - and how were they?

[pmc]

They are yummy!! I`ve cooked 3 lots so far & this weekend I`m going to make a potato salad.

[HayleyB]

I'm gonna wait until the end of next week as we have some friends for a BBQ so want home tatties for the potato salad with spring onions.

[Glutton4...]

You got friends?

[HayleyB]

You got friends?

Ok, Ok I don't know what they call me...

Actually Ness has 6 of the Amber Links I picked up at Xmas... She's a down to earth 'luvvie' (she'd kick me if she heard me call her that) if ya know what I mean

[Scottishnewbie]

I couldn't wait! I tried to 'furtle' but before I knew it, my hands had upended the bag and I had a nice wee pile of baby new potatoes.......and lots and lots that hadnt even started swelling yet! So I am pleased but also a bit cross with myself for being so impatient! Luckily I have about another hundred pots and bags to wait for ......

[HayleyB]

You think you're impatient I tried furtling and was seriously disappointed to find nowt and today only just found out through checking my posts that I didn't plant the darned things until 30th March