Determinate & Indeterminate Potatoes.

[Bigmallly]

Is this an American thing? I've been doing a bit of trawling re tatties & came across this. Apparently a Determinate variety will crop all at the same time whereas an Indeterminate will crop over a longer period............it's new to me, what do you know about it?

[Thelma Sanders]

Nowt! Never heard of such a thing

[lottie dolly]

New to me,thought you were going to say some are climbers,scratches head,were all open to learing

[Jungle Jane]

We probably don't get the chance for such a thing because of blight?

[bramble]

Is this the same as our earlies and main crop under a different name?
Just wondering.

[Bigmallly]

Is this the same as our earlies and main crop under a different name?
Just wondering.

I think there is a connection bramble.

[Nicos]

I get a bit confused over this, but I too think indeterminate are later varieties....these are better for growing in towers as they produce more spuds once the day length starts shortening?

Are the earlies ( determinate) a newer variation ( selective breeding perhaps?) created since spuds were first brought to Europe?

I may be waffling/dreaming this up....but some rusty cogs are at work in my brain somewhere...I can hear the clunking going on

If so...^^^^^ scrap all that

[Nicos]

Hmmm...maybe not correct ?
But I did just find this interesting blog...
https://seasonalontariofood.blogspot...egetables.html

[mrsbusy]

Hi - I have only seen these terms linked to tomatoes.

[Penellype]

I think this is just an American use of language. At a guess I would think that some of the first early varieties that are grown as small waxy new potatoes are probably determinate, in that if you leave them too long you get potatoes that are not of the "correct" texture. You may also find that the foliage dies down so the crop has clearly finished. If you are growing for a later crop, you can dig a few and let the rest grow bigger. Those potato buckets that have an inner part with gaps in that you can lift out allow you to harvest some of the potatoes and replant without much disturbance, which would make this easier.

I must admit that this is only a guess, but it makes some sort of sense (to me at least).

[veggiechicken]

Don't know if this helps but The Potato Council have a https://potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/sites/d...ed01.12.09.pdf

[Bigmallly]

So there is a difference in the way they actually grow, not just a case of them being earlies or maincrop.

[Nicos]

Looks like it!

[veggiechicken]

Looks like it, BM.
Some sites also refer to dwarf beans and peas as "determinate" and climbers as "indeterminate".

[Bigmallly]

Well, you are never too old to learn...............