Pink Fir Apple

[LincolnshireFloyd]

I've just been given some seed and was wondering whether it's worth planting them this late. Anybody else planted late with some success?

[WendyC]

Presuming you mean seed potato. If you give them a minimum of 12 weeks that takes you to early October. I have found them to be quite prone to blight and the chances of avoiding it before then are slim. Having said that as you've already got them and if you've got the room, you might as well plant them as you've nothing to lose except a bit of effort.

[Kirk]

Not sure how many you have been given but I would use a large tub of some sort and a mix of compost and manure, say 3 part compost 1 part manure - the standard bags you buy at a garden centre.

I have 18 and 20 inch pots and last year think I put 4 PFA's in each. Cropped well and easy to feel about to get them.

[Two_Sheds]

You could always plant into a big container and move it into the greenhouse (if you have one) when blight or the cold arrives, whichever is first.

I've managed to keep PFA in the ground into December. For some reason I didn't buy or save any seed this year, idiotically. They're my fave variety

[LincolnshireFloyd]

You could always plant into a big container and move it into the greenhouse (if you have one) when blight or the cold arrives, whichever is first.

I've managed to keep PFA in the ground into December. For some reason I didn't buy or save any seed this year, idiotically. They're my fave variety

I wouldn't say they were my favourite variety as Vivaldi takes some beating but they are the nearest thing I have tasted to Jersey Royals which I also like but are very difficult to grow here.
Anyway I've decided to grow them outside directly into the soil and have built a mini greenhouse round them which I can use to protect them from rain to avoid blight if possible.
I've got a regular supply of horse manure so I'm going to try a Victorian hot bed to keep the frosts at bay. My main worry is the amount of light they will get towards the back end as it's the light that will allow the tubers to form.
It will be a learning curve no doubt.

[Two_Sheds]

You're right, lack of light is the main cause, I'd say, of beginners' failures. Everyone knows that plants like heat, but forget that light is even more important.

I let greenhouse spuds die back naturally over winter, then they come back to life in about March when the days lengthen.
It really isn't economical to rig up a lighting system: just go with the seasons.

[LincolnshireFloyd]

You're right, lack of light is the main cause, I'd say, of beginners' failures. Everyone knows that plants like heat, but forget that light is even more important.

I let greenhouse spuds die back naturally over winter, then they come back to life in about March when the days lengthen.
It really isn't economical to rig up a lighting system: just go with the seasons.

That's an interesting idea. Does it give you an earlier crop do you think? And what about any blight they may have contracted? Do you remove the old haulms? Cut them off or pull them up?

[Two_Sheds]

Does it give you an earlier crop do you think?

I've planted spuds in August and got a Xmas Day crop (a small one). This year I planted spuds in Jan & Feb in the gh: still none to harvest yet

what about any blight they may have contracted?

If they had blight the plant would've died and the tubers would be black mush, UNLESS you manage to cut the foliage off before the blight manages to travel down into the tuber

Keep an eye on your Smith periods

[LincolnshireFloyd]

If they had blight the plant would've died and the tubers would be black mush, UNLESS you manage to cut the foliage off before the blight manages to travel down into the tuber

Odd that because I've read on another forum that a crop that suffered badly from blight last year has put up a lot of healthy looking volunteers this year.
Anyway the Pink Firs are in. Didn't know whether to plant them sausage shape down or lay them flat because the shoots seemed to come in different directions so decided to lay them flat and let them sort themselves out.

[Two_Sheds]

If the foliage dies or is removed before the blight on them can travel down into the tubers, they'll be OK

[LincolnshireFloyd]

Is there an easy way of recognising Smith periods because I can't measure humidity. What do you do?

[rustylady]

I think there's an alert you can sign up to Floyd, some of the Grapes use it. Try here Blightwatch.co.uk - the essential service for professional potato growers

[Jono]

Good luck with the Pink Firs.

Just a note to say definitely try them again next year. I grew them for the first time last year and have only just thrown away what remained of my harvest. They stored unbelievably well, and all I did was bung them all in a hessian sack and leave in the shed.

They were really productive too.

Oh, and they tasted great as well.

And I do love their nobblyness.

[StephenH]

Good luck with the Pink Firs.

Just a note to say definitely try them again next year. I grew them for the first time last year and have only just thrown away what remained of my harvest. They stored unbelievably well, and all I did was bung them all in a hessian sack and leave in the shed.

They were really productive too.

Oh, and they tasted great as well.

And I do love their nobblyness.

And their shape makes them ideal for chips - just quarter them lengthways!

[Two_Sheds]

I can't measure humidity.

Call yourself a gardener? Pah

you can get the Smith periods sent to your phone/computer, but don't panic if you get one: it only makes blight likely, not definite

You also need to keep a sharp eye on your spud foliage, and watch out for the black spots