Christmas Tatties Advice Please

[Lumpy]

I tried growing Christmas tatties last year and think I not only started them off too soon (I harvested them mid Nov) but either over or under watered them, so can the kind souls on here offer some advice please.

I want to grow some in tattie bags that will stay outside until the weather becomes too cold - from there they will go into the porch (I use it as my greenhouse), which is unheated but has a 12ft wall attached to the kitchen and hall so it never freezes.

What should I do about watering? Do I carry on as I would if they were outside or is it better to give a limited supply when the plant looks in need?

Do they flower indoors?

What are the best ones to try for a perfect (as if) new tattie?

[Penellype]

I think once you bring them indoors I would cut down on watering - you will have brought them out of the wind which is a significant contributor to evaporation. How much water they need will depend on how much foliage they have and the temperature, but you don't want them standing permanently in a soggy mess or they will rot. When I grew mine I threw fleece over them until it got too cold for that then brought them into the garage (no light) and stopped watering as the foliage was dying down anyway.

Mine flowered before I brought them in, which was around November I think.

I like Charlotte for new potatoes and this is often recommended for growing for Christmas.

[SusieG]

I'm going to try tatties also for Xmas harvesting.
I'm using bags to grow 'em. I have an unheated GH which I can move them into when it gets cold. Do you think they'll still need a fleece jacket inside the GH?

[Lumpy]

Ta Penellype I think watering was the main cause for failure last year.

I have a habit of thinking 'It's getting cold' so everything gets wrapped up and them watered to within an inche of its life. I have to try and remember that just because I'm cold does not mean that all of my plants are.

Charlottes - good choice as I grew those last year (not for Christmas) and they were brilliant. This years Rocket were, to say the least horrible.

Sorry SusieG - I have no idea whether you would need fleece as well. Someone will be along and know the answer for you.

[Penellype]

Potatoes are hardy down to freezing, the main issue with them (apart from blight) is that the foliage is killed by frost. If they are in a frost free place there should be no need to cover them with fleece.

[SusieG]

Thanks Penellype, I'll keep my fleece tucked away then! Suppose it all depends on what Ma Nature throws at us!

[Jay22]

So if you get a reasonable start to winter could they stay outside until Christmas, or is that a silly question?

[Bill HH]

So if you get a reasonable start to winter could they stay outside until Christmas, or is that a silly question?

Thats not a silly question, but I would think no frost before Christmas is unlikely in Scotland, down here in Devon however it is very likely.

[Lumpy]

Will they take longer than their spring cousins because of the lowering temps and light levels?

So, living in Lincolnshire when is the best time to start them in bags and do they need chitting?

[Jay22]

Thats not a silly question, but I would think no frost before Christmas is unlikely in Scotland, down here in Devon however it is very likely.

You would be surprised Bill...sometimes we don't get frost at all here in Winter!

[Penellype]

Will they take longer than their spring cousins because of the lowering temps and light levels?

So, living in Lincolnshire when is the best time to start them in bags and do they need chitting?

I would think they probably do take longer to reach the same size, for the reason you mention. I woudl be planting them around now, and not bother with chitting, but others may disagree.

[Lumpy]

Penellype you are a font of all knowledge!
Thank You!