Think I've failed this year

[robfosters]

planted my annabelles at the start of April. The foliage is about 2 feet above the container and looks very good but hasn't flowered yet. Had a dig around underneath. Not one potato

How could the plants themselves look so good, but develop no potatoes at all.

I can only hope my second earlies and main crop is better.

[VirginVegGrower]

How long have they been in? Give them a bit longer and keep watering especially in this dry windy weather. I am amazed how quickly the soil is drying out.

[robfosters]

They've been in about 8 weeks. I'm sure they would have developed by now.

I think watering is the problem. The soil at the bottom is rather dry. How much do you water every day. I was told to just moisten each day. Does it need far heavier watering?

[VirginVegGrower]

Give them another 2-3 weeks, you might be surprised. Did you dig out completely or just "furtle". I thought I hadn't many when I "furtled" in a bag; turns out I had quite a lot when I tipped it and got my hands mucky :-)

[robfosters]

Furtled. Quite throughly though. I'll just wait a few more weeks and see how we go. Once the foliage starts dying back, then I should know for sure.

[VirginVegGrower]

Just seen your question on water. Sorry. I give a big watering can to each planter every TWO days. It might seem excessive, but what the plants doesn't want drains away anyhow. Those planted in beds on the allotment get hosed every night. I water my potatoes a lot because having lived in a hot dry dusty land overseas many moons ago I know how low a yield and how powdery their potatoes were through lack of moisture. I planted my neighbour a bag up with 5 tubers in last year, he's 83 bless him and I used to earth them up for him and water. I then found out he kept taking out some earth to leave about three inches of tops showing ALWAYS and he would mix in some dry compost which resulted in drying the bag again. In the end I left him to it and he was bitterly disappointed when we tipped it out and he compared it to mine (planted same time; same tubers)! He told me to just grow him some this year :-)

[Flummery]

In the last few weeks heavy watering helps. 8 weeks is also not really long enough. Even the so called extra earlies reckon 10 weeks. I usually give earlies 12. Keep watering and let them have another month.

[Incy]

The watering definitely makes a huge difference. When you think you've given them enough, give them a bit more for good luck. I found my yields were disappointing last year as like you I hadn't realised how dry the soil was a bit further down.