First earlies in yet?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I think that the rogues are clever enough to only start growing when the weather is right - unlike us daft humans, who can only guess when the conditions are suitable.

[andy_j]

Mine are chitting in a cold conservatory but might pot them up and stick them down into the cold greenhouse....1 potato per 13cm ? ...then plant them out when it gets warmer

[darcyvuqua]

I'm still waiting for mine to arrive!


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[Penellype]

I plant mine towards the end of March, in bags in the garage, and leave them in there until the leaves break through the compost, by which time its usually mid-April. Even then once they go outside the weather needs watching and I cover the plants and bags with bubble wrap if frost is forecast.

With regard to the rogues, they probably don't grow as fast as potatoes that have been chitted or kept in warmer conditions, so they probably arrive above ground later.

[Alison]

I'll be planting some up in the polytunnel at the start of March but the outdoor ones will be mid April at the earliest.


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[Bigmallly]

With regards to rouges, it just goes to show that you don't need to harvest all of your tatties at the same time. They are obviously harder than we may give credit.

[Martin H]

The rogues haven't been chitting on a nice sunny windowsill, so will be later to start growing. You probably won't see them poking through until April.

I'll be getting my earlies in mid-March if the weather is suitable. Last year was a month later but then it was exceptionally cold.

I did put four tubers in last weekend but even with mollycoddling and max protection I give myself only a 5% chance of getting anything useful from them.

[redser]

I put 15 lady Chrystl in the tunnel in January. Nothing coming through yet. Bit of an experiment but being so mild I'm hoping it might pay off this year.

[veggiechicken]

Just remembered that I put 4 "mystery" spuds and 4 hairy Anyas in 2 spud bags in the GH, 26th January, The mystery ones are waving their little leaves at me.

[kathyd]

My rogues from the polytunnel last year are looking extremely happy at the moment! I feel really mean even contemplating pulling them up... I'm planting next year's rogues over the next few days in there, but every time I've tried planting in March outside they've been got by frosts and haven't recovered - last year I lost half my crop to frosts outside, even under straw or in bins with lids on - so I'm definitely waiting until the very end of March or early April this year!

[Ja9]

Yes I will be waiting a month before I plant mine too.I don't want too much foliage up until less risk of frosts.I had a flourishing 'rogue' in the compost heap last year and dug up quite a few potatoes with the compost.(ones amongst the beans were more troublesome so they had to go) Does anybody know where the name 'Volunteer ' potatoes comes from to describe them?

[Bren In Pots]

Does anybody know where the name 'Volunteer ' potatoes comes from to describe them?

Garden organic have an article about them :-
Volunteer Potato - Weed information - Organic Weed Management

[Paul Bromley]

Put mine in yesterday in the greenhouse (beginner first try !) fingers crossed a little warmer here than the UK mainland but I am ready with bubble wrap etc etc

[marcofez]

Usually plant my potato's on St Patrick's day, 17th march as I read/heard it was a traditional time Irish farmers planted theirs. But then it depends on the weather!!!!!

[Aberdeenplotter]

If there are spuds left in the ground,those near the surface may well be damaged if there is a hard frost. VC said towards the start of this thread that she thought it was the foliage that will be damaged. That is a definite. Part of the reasoning behind earthing up the spuds during their early growth is to protect them from frost. Anyone thinking of planting spuds just now needs to have a reality check and sit on their hands.

I don't plant mine till 20th April at the earliest but then we are at least 4 weeks behind the Midlands in terms of the growing season.

Be patient. Now go put thekettle on and read a few seed catalogues