Too late for xmas spuds?

[WiZeR]

cheers all. I'd prefer roasters tbh. Might stagger the planting in tubs July and August maybe.

[Waffler]

If I keep back a few from my harvest of earlies, do I store them in the fridge until September, or in the shed, or what? I'd prefer to go this route rather than spending out on seed potatoes. That said, I'll take a look at SueA's link, just in case it's less hassle!

[Paulottie]

Best Roaster....probably maris piper or king edwards ...wiljas not bad. As others have pointed out they are main crops, get them in soon and you should be ok, blight is the enemy later in the year so it is good to use some bordeaux mixture. then store in a cool shed in paper bag they'll be great for xmas roasties. 1/2 rape seed oil and 1/2 goose fat (don't use too much.) best to par-boil 5 mins rough up outsides with a fork and pop into the preheated tray.

Usually the xmas novalty is to plant a bucket of international kidney or charlottes etc. in greenhouse for new potatoes with pots of fresh parsley and mint grown alongside.

[Cutecumber]

Wizer - what are you trying to get?

Potatoes you can actually dig up on Christmas Day, or just home-grown potatoes?

Thing is, roasting potatoes need drying and "curing" a bit (when they are dug up, they are left for a while on the surface to dry then are kept cool and dark) - they are not used "straight out of the pot" for baking and roasting. They are the type that store well. The ones we would buy at Christmas are from the normal early autumn harvest of maincrop potatoes. If you try and extend the season, the growth just tails off because of the light (and blight often happens) - I'm not sure you're going to get maincrops in December if you plant in July.

You can roast small "new potatoes" - that would be your best bet if you want to dig them on the day for roasting.

Paul's right - when people talk about growing "Christmas potatoes" it's new ones that we tip out of the pot on the day.

[Alice]

Last year I tried to grow some potatoes for Christmas in buckets - Charlotte. The potatoes were doing great but I went away to Spain for a few weeks before the buckets were fully earthed up and they drowned.
But, I did have my own potatoes from the freezer as I saved some earlier.
Prepare and par boil the potatoes about 5 minutes.
Tip into a bowl of melted butter until well coated.
Spread the buttered potatoes out on a tray and put in freezer until frozen
Tip into a freezer bag and label for Christmas.
To use - defrost and roast.
They looked good and tasted well. A good insurance policy.

[Paulottie]

The Danish caramalize small new potatoes at xmas. boil, then reheat whole in a pan with loads of butter and a spoon or three of caster sugar. Mmmmm

[MrsC]

The Danish caramalize small new potatoes at xmas. boil, then reheat whole in a pan with loads of butter and a spoon or three of caster sugar. Mmmmm

that sounds really nice, will have to try! maybe off topic, but i normally only grow veg during this time of year, any ideas for winter veg any1?

[Paulottie]

Definately needs another thread but for me...brussels, leeks, parsnips and maincrop carrots(dig em up and store in boxes of sand) for winter and then purple sprouting Durham Early cabbage and asparagus for the spring.

[MrsC]

Definately needs another thread but for me...brussels, leeks, parsnips and maincrop carrots(dig em up and store in boxes of sand) for winter and then purple sprouting Durham Early cabbage and asparagus for the spring.

thanks, will start a new thread

[Shelle]

Can the christmas potatoes be grown in pots if I dont have a greenhouse? Had thought I would give it a go trying charlottes for example, but wonder if not having a greenhouse means that it will be impossible?

Are they grown the same way as we are doing now in their containers?

[Snadger]

Can the christmas potatoes be grown in pots if I dont have a greenhouse? Had thought I would give it a go trying charlottes for example, but wonder if not having a greenhouse means that it will be impossible?

Are they grown the same way as we are doing now in their containers?

They can be grown under cloche's or fleece or in a cold frame!

[Alice]

Or in pots, Shelle - just the same way as you are doing now, but you have to watch out for frost and cover the top growth with fleece if frosty.

[noidea]

Alice.. thanks for the tip re buying Scottish from the supermarket.

I will keep that in mind!

C

[Barbara'nTom]

We got some seed potatoes in August from Dobies seed catalogue. I would like to be able to report back on the results. We planted them in the ground and they did grow but sadly we had a frost and that was the end of that. We had fleeced them but fleece had come off. However now have a greenhouse so intend to try again this year.

[moggssue]

Like the suggestion to freeze some 'summer' potatoes to use christmas day. My OH has now decided he wants to have all home grown veg on christmas day but might be asking but will give it a go as a 'standby'. I have a single storey coldframe, can I put a couple of pots of potatoes in there in the autumn to dig up for christmas, or won't there be enough height?