Harvesting early spuds.

[Paulieb]

I know I could have a furtle or tip them out or wait a bit longer, BUT,

what are all your thoughts about when would be best to turn out my early lady christl and epicure. Main reason being they took ages to break the surface but now they're decent sized plants. Sowed the earliest on 6th Feb and every week after in morrisons flower buckets so the first lot of lady christl should have been ready by now......and in maaa belly!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Know what you mean Paul mine to took ages to get going due to the weather. I would normally give LadyC 12 weeks after planting but in all honesty I think they will take longer this year. I am going to have a look about week 14.

Potty

[kathyd]

I've got some arran pilot in my polytunnel also planted in Feb (10th), and also looking like nice big healthy plants. In fact, some are starting to flower. However, when I poked around a bit under the straw and other mulches, I couldn't find any potatoes! I did find something half the size of my little finger nail which 'might' hav been the start of one I suppose, but nothing else. So I've either done something horribly wrong, or they're just not ready yet. I'm going to leave them a few more weeks until I'm desperate for the space, and hope for the best. It's not as though my curcurbits are going to need planting in the foreseeable future - still trying to persuade the little blighters to surface from their pots!

[alldigging]

Do they need some water?

[kathyd]

Do they need some water?

Potatoes or curcurbits? I've been watering the potatoes and checking the soil regularly, and it doesn't feel dry, but I'll give them another drinkies and see if it helps. The curcurbits are sown in pots which were soaked from the bottom and put into a heated propogator. 4 have come up, number 5 died very quickly and number 6 rotted. I've prodded around and remaining seeds are soft but not rotted. Anyway, I've planted a few more and put them somewhere else to see if it makes any difference.

[alldigging]

Potatoes. They need water for the spuds.

[kathyd]

OK I'll water again then, to be on the safe side, thanks

[wizzbang]

Potatoes. They need water for the spuds.

Do they like to be wet through? If its dry and windy or hot and dry shall I water twice a day with a goodly amount of water?
Lynne x

[Potstubsdustbins]

Lynne,

That depends what you are growing them in a container or the ground and at waht stage of development they are.

Young plants don't like to be stood in water but later on when the tubers are forming thats when they need lots of water.

Potty

[wizzbang]

In the ground Potty. They aren't showing yet though, so very early days.
Lynne x

[rustylady]

In the ground Potty. They aren't showing yet though, so very early days.
Lynne x

Was the ground damp when you planted them Lynne?

If you do decide to water them give them a good soak and then leave them for a week. Dribs and drabs of water are worse than no water at all.