2015 potato harvests

[Twinsane]

Look at the size of that spud!! Quality, well done!

Thanks but I can't take the credit; I just neglected them. The ones I "looked after" didn't do anywhere near as good.

[Nannysally99]

The adding up has been done and the results are in - 146 lb of spuds grown in buckets and recycling containers this year.
19 lb were rogues in last years bed, so much for keeping it fallow for a year lol.
Sounds impressive when it all adds up.
The downside is that we have nearly eaten them all

[Martin H]

I dug up one of my beds of Cara potatoes today. Lots of yield but lots of slug damage.

[Twinsane]

That looks like a good haul Martin. It's a shame about the slug damage. We suffered with slug damage on ours this year. I thought it was because I was later than usual harvesting but my rogue picasso had nothing.

[bramble]

After reading all the posts about potatoes throughout the summer and autumn I was wondering would you all plant the same variety of potatoes again, and if not, why not?

[Penellype]

After reading all the posts about potatoes throughout the summer and autumn I was wondering would you all plant the same variety of potatoes again, and if not, why not?

Yes probably.

Rocket - because its very early. If anyone can recommend an equally early better tasting potato I would be interested - looking for potatoes at the end of May.
Charlotte because its the nicest waxy variety and heavy yielding.
Desiree because its gorgeous mashed.
Sarpo Mira and Sarpo Axona for blight resistance and heavy yields.

[bramble]

After reading all the posts about potatoes throughout the summer and autumn I was wondering would you all plant the same variety of potatoes again, and if not, why not?

[KevinM67]

After reading all the posts about potatoes throughout the summer and autumn I was wondering would you all plant the same variety of potatoes again, and if not, why not?

I'm sorry I haven't read through the previous 18 pages.

I stopped growing maincrop tatties this year and just restricted myself to charlottes and desiree, as I feel you can pretty much do everything with them.

Yeild has been great this year - so same again for me next year.

However, I may buy (if available) about 5 seed potatoes each of another couple of varieties just to have something different.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have stuck with just the two varieties for the last 3 years because we both like them and I know they are reliable in containers

Lady Chrystl for an early ready in 10 to 12 weeks, some left in the ground for 18 weeks or so to have as second earlies.

Picasso as main crop always a plentiful harvest.

[Penellype]

Last 2 buckets of Desiree harvested today:



1.5kg on the left and 2.45kg on the right. No idea why the yields were so different as the buckets were next to each other and were treated exactly the same as far as possible.

Also harvested the last of the Sarpo Mira from a similar bucket grown next to the Desiree:



These weighed 1.95kg, but some were disappointingly small.

The relative yeilds of the various varieties make interesting reading. In order of yield:

1. Sarpo Mira 6.05kg from 8 seed potatoes = 0.76kg/seed potato
2. Rocket 6.85kg from 12 seed potatoes = 0.57kg/seed
3. Desiree 9.55kg from 18 seed potatoes = 0.53kg/seed
4. Charlotte 6.2kg from 12 seed potatoes = 0.52kg/seed
5. Sarpo Axona 1.25kg from 3 seed potatoes = 0.42kg/seed (planted later)

All the potatoes were grown in 30l buckets except 5 Sarpo Mira (grown in water butt), 6 Charlotte (grown in bags) and 4 Charlotte (grown in old dustbin). The Rocket may have benefitted from a sunnier position than the other varieties.

2 buckets of 3 Charlotte planted in July still to harvest.

[Penellype]

Decided to harvest the first bucket of Charlotte that I planted in July (actually, bought in July, planted 5th August), as the tops had completely died down (the other bucket is just starting to do the same).

I was sort of expecting this:



But what I actually got was this:



3 seed potatoes yielded 0.85kg of new potatoes, some of them a very respectable size.

[Penellype]

The final potato harvest of the year - 1 bucket of Charlotte, 3 seed potatoes planted on 5th August. These are my "Christmas" new potatoes and were grown mostly in the shade.



0.7kg in this bucket, including a couple of nice big ones.

[Snow]

I finally wrote up the results of my potato experiments from 2015. You can read that on my blog if you like:
Seeds of the Poet Tree: Potato Experiment Results 2015

I hope to grow some potatoes this year, applying what I leaned in 2015, but my health hasn't been great so I doubt I'll be able to achieve as much. I do have a few seed potatoes on my windowsill though, so hopefully I'll manage a few potatoes in pots at least.