First year growing potatoes

[rhyswales]

Just a quick question, planted on the 8th august so just over 2 months ago, should there be any potatoes now? The plants have flowered and were growing really well, the wind yesterday battered one of my plants so there is basically nothing left to it, all branches snapped and in a hell of a state. So am wondering if I harvest now, will their be any?

Thanks

[Martin H]

Potatoes vary in how long they need to reach maturity. Do you know what variety they are?

[rhyswales]

Charlotte and Maris Peer, bu the charlotte are the ones that I'm looking to pull up

[Bigmallly]

Hi Rhys, they are both 2nd earlies so looking at 12 to 14 weeks to maturity. However as you planted them later that normal, they may take slightly longer. Have a furtle & see if you can feel any.

[rhyswales]

Hi Rhys, they are both 2nd earlies so looking at 12 to 14 weeks to maturity. However as you planted them later that normal, they may take slightly longer. Have a furtle & see if you can feel any.

Thanks BM, I did have a feel around but couldn't feel any, I was under the impression that if they flowered that meant the potatoes were growing, I take it that was wrong?

[Kristen]

However as you planted them later that normal, they may take slightly longer.

I wonder? The normal times quoted would be assuming planting in Spring, in "cold" soil, so could take less time in Autumn perhaps?

But only provided that they had plenty of water and were not stressed from drought.

But I have never made a timing comparison, so I could be way off!

Thanks BM, I did have a feel around but couldn't feel any, I was under the impression that if they flowered that meant the potatoes were growing, I take it that was wrong?

Its a good indicator (although some varieties don't flower / don't always flower so NOT flowering is no indication of anything)

If you have a whole row then sacrificing one plant to "check and see" is not so bad ... with just a bag or too there is more at stake, and in that circumstance I'd leave it as long as reasonable.

[Bigmallly]

The only reason they flower is to set seed. The flowers have no bearing on the tubers.

[rhyswales]

I wonder? The normal times quoted would be assuming planting in Spring, in "cold" soil, so could take less time in Autumn perhaps?

But only provided that they had plenty of water and were not stressed from drought.

But I have never made a timing comparison, so I could be way off!

I never did plan on growing any potatoes until I went to my local garden center and seen seed potatoes which said Christmas variety. Didn't even know you could grow them this time of year so thought why not have a go. The pack says to plant by late august, so I think I'm in the planting time frame.

[Kristen]

When I have grown them I planted them first week of August. Otherwise I think they start to lose a bit of Umph as the nights draw in and the temperatures drop ... but ... to have them newer and fresher at XMas then later planting would be appropriate. I just left them in the bags, after the tops died down, until XMas day and then tipped them out - they were surprisingly New Potato like ...

... but then the family said "T'is more traditional to have Roast Spuds at Xmas, so we think we'd prefer that in future" ... so I haven't bothered since.

[Bigmallly]

If you are growing them for Xmas Rhys, I see no harm in leaving them in the ground a bit longer.

[Zelenina]

In my experience, potatoes carry on developing underground even after the tops are completely gone. So I'd leave the plant a bit longer. If the weather stays mild it might even recover from the damage and put on some new growth.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes your in the right time frame for planting for Christmas unfortunately Christmas is ten plus weeks away.