Potential Potato Woes

[OverWyreGrower]

OK, so I have got the majority of my tattie bed dug over, and an entire large green wheelie bin of creeping buttercup to show for it.

I've got my first and second earlies chitting, and my maincrops ready....

However, the bed is still rather waterlogged after the horrendous winter weather. It was starting to dry up at the end of last week and over the weekend, then we had 3 inches of rain last night, and it's back to being waterlogged again.

We're forecast for more rain over the rest of the week, and I'm starting to (mildly) panic about getting my spuds in! I don't want them to rot etc if I stick them in soggy ground

How long have I got to plant them before it gets really desperate?

[Two_Sheds]

We only rush to get them in because we want the first first earlies!

Spuds take *about* 3 months before they're big enough to eat. Theoretically then, you can plant in May for an August crop, provided you don't get blight.

[keepondiggin]

Hi OWG-I only put my first earlies in yesterday-as long as you have all your potatoes in by mid April you should be OK.Ideally I would try to get your first earlies in this week-looking at the local weather it looks to brighten up quite well Wednesday onwards.Can you cover up the area you've prepared with plastic/tarpaulin to minimise the amount of water? It is dry enough in Preston anyway atm to cover anything on my plot? In fact am going down shortly to do one or two things.

[OverWyreGrower]

Phew! Feel a bit better! Hopefully might be able to get some in towards the end of the week...

The bed is covered up with black plastic, however, we're right on sea level, so the water has nowhere to go and seeps upwards (if you see what I mean)

For instance, dig a 18inches down, and you hit sand. When the weather is so wet, the water seeps upwards in the hole towards the top. All our drainage dikes are full as well.