Growing Potatoes

[Thermo]

the sprouts coming off need to go up, as they are trying to get to the light.
the closer you plant them the smaller potatoes youll get. plant them about 6 inches down. id say about 5ish per sack. If youve got a load of sprouts coming off rub a few off

 

[spice]

Thanks again thermo, and to everyone who has answered my questions, its great to know that I can get help almost immediately from you all.

 

[Thermo]

youre not getting any help digging them up or peeling them though!

 

[Bylough]

Set em up 'reaching for the sky' If they went into ground, they would be about 3 inch plus deep- you must not let air reach the skin at any time when growing- poisonous green skin!

 

[Thermo]

also keep mounding up the soil around them as the leaves start to grow above the ground

 

[spice]

youre not getting any help digging them up or peeling them though!

AWWWW, that was going to be my next question

 

[JamesA]

You've inspired me to plant some old eyed potatoes.

Did the packet say how you will know when they're ready?

 

[JamesA]

I was being lazy. Heres what a search returned:

"Potatoes are ready for harvest when the foliage first starts to die and turn yellow. Early (new) potatoes can be lifted earlier (no earlier than June) to get the very tastiest potatoes. In this case, harvest them about a week after the potato plant flowers first appear. New potatoes only produce a couple of handfuls of potatoes per plant, so dig up the whole plant.

Maincrop potatoes will be ready for harvest in mid-Autumn (start of September at the earliest). For all potatoes, dig them up from the side of the ridge (a fork or spade are both fine) to avoid damaging the potatoes."

 

[spice]

James, on my packet of seed potatoes, it says harvest july-sept.

I hear the words earlies, first crop, second crop etc, does that mean, that all these come from the one seed as such.

So if I picked my 'earlies', would my plant still go on to make more spuds, or once I have picked them they are finished.

Also, after planting them in the rubble sack and watering them in, how often do I water them in the sack, as would imagine if I water them too much in the sack, the potatoes would sweat and rot.

Thanks, (still a confused potato grower) lol

 

[dg123]

Potato crops and the growing season are specific types:

First Earlies
Second Earlies
Maincrop

There are many varities of each type and as the names suggest, the order of cropping is first, second, maincrop - the specific types do not continue cropping.

Keep the compost/soil moist (you should have some drainage holes in the sack to allow excess water to escape).

 

[spice]

DG, thanks for your reply but am still confused, what I dont understand is, that if the seed pots have to be planted say before march, and they take 12-15 weeks to produce, how do I know if they are earlies, ist or 2nd crop.

Does it mean, if I pick them in the 12-15 weeks, does that mean they are earlies (1st crop), and if I leave them for longer would that be 2nd crop, or does it mean that I can plant seed pots again after I have picked the ist earlies.

I havent a clue what the earlies, maincrop etc means in refernce to planting or picking them, as it didnt tell me anything on the label that came with the potatoes.

Could you explain to me in simple terms what it all means.

 

[special stage]

Hi mate do you know what variety of potatoe you have got.I'm using "Rocket" this year which are very good for planting early on when the weather is colder.

 

[dg123]

DG, thanks for your reply but am still confused, what I dont understand is, that if the seed pots have to be planted say before march, and they take 12-15 weeks to produce, how do I know if they are earlies, ist or 2nd crop.

Does it mean, if I pick them in the 12-15 weeks, does that mean they are earlies (1st crop), and if I leave them for longer would that be 2nd crop, or does it mean that I can plant seed pots again after I have picked the ist earlies.

I havent a clue what the earlies, maincrop etc means in refernce to planting or picking them, as it didnt tell me anything on the label that came with the potatoes.

Could you explain to me in simple terms what it all means.

It should tell you on the label whether they are first, second or maincrop. Do you know the name of the variety you have bought?

 

[spice]

I threw the label out, but remember it said harvest july-sept, cant remember what they were called.

I got the impression, cause I had trouble getting the seed pots, as everywhere was sold out, and people told me I was too late, I got the impression that they should be planted before march, therefore approx 15 weeks before harvest.

But I am beginning to see that they can be planted anytime, hence, earlies, maincrop etc, (am I right)


I think I will stick to decorating, its a lot easier lol

 

[JohnD]

An easier method than earthing up into a ridge, is to plant your pots at the bottom of a trench that you've dug over and composted. Heap up the soil to the sides of the trench. then with your hoe you can drag enough of the loose soil down as the stems grow up. They will also find more water as the roots will end up deeper.

You can throw compost on the dug-out soill in the heaps, and as you later drag it down it will get mixed in.

I also like to put my grass-cuttings in a heavy mulch round the plants during the summer, you get a lot of it at the right time to suppress weeds on the potato patch. And by the time you harvest them it will have rotted down enough to mix in as you're digging ready for your next vegetable planting.