Potatoes for christmas

[adarajames]

Hi all
I remember reading in one of the recent mags that you can stick some potatoes in now to get new potatoes for christmas, am I right in thinking the ones suggested for this were first earlies? (As they crop more quickly I think it said?)
Can anyone confirm / correct for me?
Thanks :0)
Jo

[Alice]

Hello Adarajames, and welcome to the Vine. Getting new potatoes for Christmas is not just as easy as sticking them in the ground. This has all been discussed before, and you might want to do a search for further information.
Basically, potatoes are NOT frost hardy. So to grow a crop for Christmas you need to be able to keep them frost free.
Depending on variety your potatoes will take 13 to 22 weeks to be ready.
How many weeks is it til Christmas ???
And things grow more slowly once we get into colder, darker days.
You're right in thinking you would do better with earlies (13 - 16 weeks growing time)
Do give it a go, and let us know how you get on. I've got mine in the freezer - just in case.

[Two_Sheds]

We didn't get any frost here until Feb/March last year, so I'm giving it a go. I stuck in a few of this year's Arran Pilot crop. They've got two choices!

Adarajames, where are you in the country? It doesn't say in your profile, do give us a clue. County?

[lozza_9]

I'm planning to grow some in Potato sacks and some in the ground to see which one's perform better - I am hoping if growing in the ground fails, the spuds in the sacks will be OK.

I did notice a post on here a few days ago which mentioned alot of suppliers have sold out of christmas spuds already! luckily i bought mine last month!

Loz

[adarajames]

I'm in SE London and its for planting on my friends allotment as don't have one or a garden of my own as yet! :0)

Gonna be very basic I think and throw in some old new potatoes that have sprouted in the veg bag and see what happens! Tends to be how I garden and seems to do ok most of the time! :0) Not found anyone that has any seed potatoes to sow other than this so can't do anything more! See what happens! :0)

[marthasnan]

Anyone know where I can get hold of some late cropping potatoes for planting now?
I live in South Yorkshire

[littlegreenman]

I have some spare space since digging up my beetroot, and was thinking of putting some potatoes in, i have never tried growing them before, anyone have any tips.

[Snadger]

I have some spare space since digging up my beetroot, and was thinking of putting some potatoes in, i have never tried growing them before, anyone have any tips.

Be prepared to cover them with fleece or cloches as one nip of frost and they're gone!
I, like many, plant mine in containers so they can be brought into the greenhouse once the frosts are upon us!

[littlegreenman]

Cheers, i still think we have some good weather to come and maybe we wont get any frost till early next year, you can hope.

[Mozzi]

Just a quick update. My Christmas potatoes were covered with straw in November-ish, but all the plants still died from the frost. I harvested ~3kg the Friday before Christmas, and last weekend I dug up another row of perfect new potatoes, and I still have 2 rows in the ground!

[Farmer_Gyles]

Hi all
I remember reading in one of the recent mags that you can stick some potatoes in now to get new potatoes for christmas, am I right in thinking the ones suggested for this were first earlies? (As they crop more quickly I think it said?)
Can anyone confirm / correct for me?
Thanks :0)
Jo

i've jsut had this very question answered in another thread:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ime_13788.html