Grow Your Own Magazine

The seed potatoes only went in the ground 8 or 9 weeks ago, and some of them have only really got going reciently... but some of the bigger ones are flowering.
I did read that that means they're ready to dig up, but as they've only been in the ground so little time i'm a bit nervous of digging them up.
Any thoughts?

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Simon Of Kells

and i suppose i should say they're second earlies.... but can't remember the variety...

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Simon Of Kells

Far too early yet I'd say. They need another 8 or 9 weeks at least yet. Take the flowers off to conserve plant energy for the spuds.

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http://www.weltaf.co.uk/
Why keep a dog when you can bark yourself !

If they are second earlies then another three weeks or so should do them. Flowering is a useful indicator but cannot be taken as a definitive sign of maturity as it is so dependent on weather conditions etc.
What I suggest is that you have a scrape around below one of the plants (carefully) and see what you find. This will give you a far more accurate indication of what stage of readiness your crop is at.

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

Hello Simon, second earlies need a minimum of 13 weeks. They can take longer if the weather conditions have been poor. I don't give too much importance as to whether or not they have flowered. I would wait 13 weeks and have a check then. Leave another week or two after that if the potatoes are very small. If the foliage starts to turn yellow and die down they are ready for sure - and won't grow any more.
Hope you get a good crop.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

thanks everyone

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Simon Of Kells

Yes, as has been said on numerous other potato threads ~ flowering is no indication of readiness. You need to have a furtle under the soil, to see if they're ready.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

My first earlies flowered three weeks ago, but there was little crop there at the time, they're only just ready now.