Harvesting potatoes

[poppysocks]

This is my second year growing potatoes, I didn't do very well with them last year but things appear to be going much better this year. I started harvesting my earlies last week and they are fabulous (Sharpes Express). I initially just felt around for potatoes whilst leaving the plants in place but a colleague told me I shouldn't do this but should pull the whole plant up. Following her advice, I pulled 2 up yesterday and got several potatoes but there were many more very small ones that hadn't developed which seemed a shame. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks Diana

[Germinater]

Think you were doing the right thing in the first place by rummaging about carefully to pull out the big one and leave the rest to finsh growing ..I would say ignore your friends advise and carry on with wot your doing for now until the plant looks a bit ragged and it's time Is up.

[poppysocks]

Thanks for the advice. I must admit that's what I thought, they are really healthy plants that look like they are still in their prime so it seems a shame to pull them up and I definitely want to get as many spuds as I can as they are so delicious. There are so many of my family and friends who advised against growing them as they said they take up too much room, as far as I am concerned I will continue to grow them as I have never tasted a better potato, shop ones don't even come close!

[Shadylane]

They do take up alot of room but they are totally worth it. And yes you should have ignored your friend. Furtling - as we like to call it - is a common method of harvesting your first spuds. You can pull em up when they start to die back.

[Florence Fennel]

I've grown them in sacks for years and so harvesting has been simple - wait for the foliage to die down and tip out the whole lot. It's the first time I've grown them in the ground, so I'm getting quite excited about having a furtle. It might be this evening now.

[chris]

How do you furtle in the ground? In sacks it was easy, as it was pretty much all compost.. In the ground it's erm a bit different - hard, stoney etc

Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?

[rustylady]

My spuds have been earthed up, so the soil is quite loose round the plants. I furtle with my fingers so as not to damage the spuds. Speaking of which, I may have a furtle today

[chris]

I buried mine, the ridged them as I was mid-weeding.. Also as I knew by the time they'd be breaking the surface kiddie #2 could be born (save me earthing them up). The surface seems to have capped a bit - it's quite tough. Some of my sweetcorn didn't make it through the surface - lesson learnt for next year... I'll be filling direct sown seed holes with compost rather than the soil again!

[Flummery]

How do you furtle in the ground? In sacks it was easy, as it was pretty much all compost.. In the ground it's erm a bit different - hard, stoney etc

Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?

You do it just the same - and you DO get mucky fingernails. The trick is not to mind!

[Alison]

I just furtle with my hands as others have said but it's easy in my soil, pretty much no stones and quite lose where it's been broken up earlier in the year. Just pull out the number I need until I'll be next at the plot and leave everything else.

[mrbadexample]

Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?

That's what I did. Just treated it like an archaelogical dig.

[rustylady]

[QUOTE=rustylady;862542 Speaking of which, I may have a furtle today [/QUOTE] Furtle cancelled - it's persisting down here at the moment.

[Kiwi_Soph]

This thread has inspired me to go and have my very first furtle (in a rain break) and lo and behold, I could feel some good-sized, smooth, lovely potatoes! Very exciting!

Looks like I might have taters for dinner this weekend. First ever home growns. Eeep.

[scarletrunner]

Container grown take up little space,a good crop can be achieved,providing plenty of water,feed and good drainage is given.

[Germinater]

Potatos are just a very greed plant but the more you bow to there will the more they rewared you with there gratitude .