harvesting potatoes

[ashb]

my 1st time at growing my own, my potato crop has nearly finished flowering
my question is when is it the best time to start harvesting them?
ash.

[rustylady]

What varieties are you growing, and are you growing in pots or in open ground?

[ashb]

Hi, i am growing them in planter bags and they are maris peer.
ash.

[j r hilton]

To extend the topic, I am growing mine in two old dustbins having read that you get plenty of tubers up the hight of the bin. I have now read a blog where a lady says that potato tubers are only produced to approx twelve inches above the seed potato. She has quite a few people backing up her statement and she says that you need to plant more seed potatoes in the same bin when you have earthed up to half way. This is the only way to get any tubers in the top half of the bin according to her. I have not checked mine but has any body grown potatoes in dustbins and got a better supply than she says is possible. I am very interested to see if she is right.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Ashb Maris Peer are a first early and would normally require 12/13 weeks in the ground, but with the weather this year who knows. I would have a 'furtle' i.e. carefully stick your hand in the bag and gently feel around to discover what sort of crop you have.

As to potatoes in dustbins been doing this for years. Some years are better than others but last year I averaged 24lb per bin. I find that if you earth up little and often keeping just 3 to 4 inches of haulm above the compost you will most certainly get spuds to the top of the bin. Not masses of them but they are there.

Colin

[lukens]

I stuck my hand in the hole in the side of my planter bags today and found loads of Pink Duke of York (first early) and Blue kestrel (second early) at a decent new potato size. They've only been in the bags 9 weeks (they were chitted for about a month beforehand). I only had a furtle because I saw a potato shaped bulge on the side of one bag.

I also pulled one small Desiree (main crop) by mistake, when I shoved my hand in a planter before checking the label.

[Kaiya]

I had a furtle in one of mine (Anya, second early, in a bag, planted Equinox, so been in 14 weeks? - 110 days next Tuesday) and I found a single potato the size of a small Brussel sprout. Hurump. A good 3-4 foot of greenery too. I found nothing in the King Edward bag, planted at the same time. I hope I'm just not furtling deep enough.

[Paulottie]

I stuck my hand in the hole in the side ... because I saw a potato shaped bulge on the side of one bag.

I expect they were just pleased to see you

chitting not included...9 weeks not enough... your too hasty

[Paulottie]

To extend the topic, I am growing mine in two old dustbins having read that you get plenty of tubers up the hight of the bin. I have now read a blog where a lady says that potato tubers are only produced to approx twelve inches above the seed potato. She has quite a few people backing up her statement and she says that you need to plant more seed potatoes in the same bin when you have earthed up to half way. This is the only way to get any tubers in the top half of the bin according to her. I have not checked mine but has any body grown potatoes in dustbins and got a better supply than she says is possible. I am very interested to see if she is right.

How many potatoes did you plant at the bottom of this bin?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Kaiya your Anya will need about 18 weeks in a good year and the King Ted about 22 weeks.

Colin

[Sarico]

Ashb Maris Peer are a first early and would normally require 12/13 weeks in the ground, but with the weather this year who knows. I would have a 'furtle' i.e. carefully stick your hand in the bag and gently feel around to discover what sort of crop you have.

As to potatoes in dustbins been doing this for years. Some years are better than others but last year I averaged 24lb per bin. I find that if you earth up little and often keeping just 3 to 4 inches of haulm above the compost you will most certainly get spuds to the top of the bin. Not masses of them but they are there.

Colin

24lb!!!!!! Sorry Colin can you tell your secrets? I want to try next year. How many seed per bin you use? Du you put them at the same depth? Thanks

[j r hilton]

How many potatoes did you plant at the bottom of this bin?

There are four seed potatoes in each bin which i presumed were enough for a decent crop.

[lukens]

chitting not included...9 weeks not enough... your too hasty

What is the problem with pulling them early? Is it likely to affect the total crop? I'm assuming the plants will go on producing in the bags, and the potatoes I pulled out were nice and tasty, and of decent size, so could see no harm, have I made an error? I'd read somewhere to just pull ones out when ready, the younger the tastier - was this bad advice?


Another question, I accidentally pulled out the seed potato from the base of one plant, is this a problem, or now the plant has grown, is it' job done?

[Kaiya]

Kaiya your Anya will need about 18 weeks in a good year and the King Ted about 22 weeks.

Ahh thank you - I was going by that potato site but the plants themselves are evidently happy to carry on being potato plants. I shall hold off before disturbing them further!

[rustylady]

What is the problem with pulling them early? Is it likely to affect the total crop? I'm assuming the plants will go on producing in the bags, and the potatoes I pulled out were nice and tasty, and of decent size, so could see no harm, have I made an error? I'd read somewhere to just pull ones out when ready, the younger the tastier - was this bad advice? There is no problem with harvesting individual potatoes whenever you want, just don't uproot the whole plant

Another question, I accidentally pulled out the seed potato from the base of one plant, is this a problem, or now the plant has grown, is it' job done?

Once the plant has grown it's own roots and foliage the seed potato has done it's job. They often go really mushy and feel really horrible if you grab them by mistake