2015 potato harvests

[Snow]

There is something about potatoes that I love more than other veg that I grow.
I think it is the way they are harvested, usually an all in one go method, but mostly because my daughter and I have a great time together hunting for all the spuds in the soil. Little pieces of gold.

As well as taste and quality obviously being major benefits to growing your own, the amount is also an important consideration for me. I want to get the most I can out of the space I am growing. With this in mind I am conducting some experiments this year to find out what works well and what doesn't. Different sized containers versus the bare ground, number of seeds used, compost brand, fertilizers, etc.

I'll post something about the results at the end, but I also thought it might be fun to post pics of my harvests as I go. Here are the ones I've done so far:

Dunluce from the ground:


Charlotte:
Think I forgot to photo these. They were nice!

Maris Peer:


Vivaldi:


Would love to see other people's harvests too!

[veggiechicken]

They look great, Snow
Any idea how many seed potatoes were planted for each crop?

[Snadger]

I'm not jealous......................honest!

[Snow]

They look great, Snow
Any idea how many seed potatoes were planted for each crop?

Thanks!
Yes, I know how many. Dunluce 4, Charlotte 4, Maris Peer 3, Vivaldi 1. Hopefully by the end of it I'll know what is optimum. I have the weights and so on too - all to be revealed later!

[noviceveggrower]

I have grown kestrel this year and have got just under 10lb off them

[Potstubsdustbins]

I think its been a good year for new spuds and your harvests back it up.

[Snow]

I think its been a good year for new spuds and your harvests back it up.

A lot of my plants have been growing very big this year, much taller than normal and several have become so top heavy that they have bent or split stems and have required support to keep them upright. So I think you're right that it's been a good year for spuds.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I still have more containers of new spuds than is usual at this time of year. The next one to be harvested is a 25 gallon plastic tank, if I remember I will take a pici and post.

The main crop haulms like yours are much bigger than normal, just hoping the old guys saying is true, 'big haulms big crop'.

[maverick451]

Good post, Ive been really pleased with my potato harvests so far, all the ones harvested have been from 2 seed potatoes in 30l pots

So Far

Swift- harvested between 63-75 days - not the biggest yielder, about 1 kg per pot but super fast

Duke of York - Harvested at about 75 days, averaging 1.25 to 1.5kgs per pot, better tasting than Swift

Casablanca- Grew these after seeing them recommended on beechgrove last year, Harvest at about 90 days and averaging 1.5-2kgs per pot, not a waxy potato but really nice boiled, a nice rich flavour, my favourite so far.

[Snow]

I still have more containers of new spuds than is usual at this time of year. The next one to be harvested is a 25 gallon plastic tank, if I remember I will take a pici and post.

The main crop haulms like yours are much bigger than normal, just hoping the old guys saying is true, 'big haulms big crop'.

I look forward to seeing some pics of that!

[Potstubsdustbins]

When I post yesterday didn't know SWMBO would have me harvest them to day.

Lady C, 3 sets planted 24/3 left to grow on to provide some bakers, purely because I like them baked. Yield just short of 4 kilos. tank now sweetened and ready for some brassica's on Monday. Only 6 dustbins of Lady C left now

[Snow]

When I post yesterday didn't know SWMBO would have me harvest them to day.

Lady C, 3 sets planted 24/3 left to grow on to provide some bakers, purely because I like them baked. Yield just short of 4 kilos. tank now sweetened and ready for some brassica's on Monday. Only 6 dustbins of Lady C left now

Looks great. I hope to get a few bakers too from the ones I have still growing.

[Noosner]

Wow, you have all got tons more spuds than me! I harvested a bag of 3 kestrel plants and only got about twelve small to middling spuds, i.e. enough to give Mr Noosner and myself 2-3 meals (they were delicious, mind). I must be doing something wrong. Do you folks feed the plants? Must admit I tend to plant mine, feed once and water when I remember.

Must try harder next year.

[Nannysally99]

One dustbin with four Casablanca seed potatoes
Yield was 7 1/2 lb. tasted great, now they are all gone.

[Snow]

Wow, you have all got tons more spuds than me! I harvested a bag of 3 kestrel plants and only got about twelve small to middling spuds, i.e. enough to give Mr Noosner and myself 2-3 meals (they were delicious, mind). I must be doing something wrong. Do you folks feed the plants? Must admit I tend to plant mine, feed once and water when I remember.

Must try harder next year.

My first harvest, the Dunluce, were dug up a bit early and that harvest came from four plants, so that one was not as good as it perhaps looks in the photo!

Last year I didn't feed at all and got decent crops, but have read since that feeding is the way to go. This year, as of a fortnight ago I started to feed with an organic seaweed feed. I hope it means I will get a bigger yield this year. The ones already dug were mostly not fed, just how they were planted. But I had good compost, and a mix of either farmyard manure or cheap potato fertilizer from the poundshop when they went in.