Early spuds

**bearded bloke** · 26-05-2013, 05:27 PM

Not been that brave yet potty,in terms of greenery the Home Guard are now ahead of the Rocket,although it looks like the Rocket will flower first

**redser** · 26-05-2013, 05:37 PM

Thanks Potty. I'll be holding off too. I'm thinking mid June. Looking back at last years notes everything is about 3weeks to a month later. Had first early strawberry last year on may 5th. This year it was 2 days ago.

**solway cropper** · 26-05-2013, 09:59 PM

I've had a few miserable pickings and even after they've been growing in the greenhouse for 12 weeks+ the yields are dramatically down on previous years. The plants had plenty of top growth so I'm assuming they need minimum temperatures to initiate tuber development.

**buzzingtalk** · 26-05-2013, 10:28 PM

How do you know when they are ready? The tops of mine have grown nicely but no idea what lurks under the soil...

**zazen999** · 26-05-2013, 10:40 PM

I'd say 11 weeks with such cold weather for most of it, is pushing it ever so slightly.

**VirginVegGrower** · 26-05-2013, 11:50 PM

I feel like I'm two months behind on where I normally am. Germination has been erratic. Growth has been slow. Never known a year like this one to be honest.

**kathyd** · 27-05-2013, 07:06 AM

Originally posted by VirginVegGrower View Post

I feel like I'm two months behind on where I normally am. Germination has been erratic. Growth has been slow. Never known a year like this one to be honest.

It's all beginning to sound a lot like last year in many ways, albeit for slightly different reasons, isn't it...

**Gurberly** · 27-05-2013, 07:06 AM

Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post

.... After 11 weeks, two BFB to make a boiling for two people.....

Potty

Probably really obvious but I'm stumped ... what does BFB stand for?

**kathyd** · 27-05-2013, 07:08 AM

I dug up a couple of plants from my polytunnel last week - planted mid Feb - and most were about pea sized. A few larger ones gave us enough for a mouthful or two for 3 people, bulked out with shop bought. I suppose I'm pleased in a way that other ppl seem to be having the same problem - I'd pretty much decided not to put them in the tunnel again next year - maybe in buckets in the tunnel so they're not taking up precious bed space then...

**marchogaeth** · 27-05-2013, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post

Well the lack of them really.

Today I decided to try my first earlies RDoY & Lady C planted on the 05/03. The results were very poor to say the least. After 11 weeks, two BFB to make a boiling for two people. I can only put it down to the cold weather we have been subject to as normally I would be getting two boilings to the bucket at this stage.

On the bright side there were tons of very tiny spuds so the rest should grow on and I have 14 more buckets.

Potty

Brilliant! It's not just me, then. My DOY are the same. I stopped after pulling a couple of stems because there were so many little ones to come. They were stuck in at the end of Feb (tunnel) with good chits. The tops are breath taking so they have to put all the food they are making somewhere eventually, don't they? I though I'd go another month, I've only got 4 (well 3�) bags so I'd rather wait than risk it especially as the seeds were pretty dear.

Originally posted by zazen999 View Post

I'd say 11 weeks with such cold weather for most of it, is pushing it ever so slightly.

Which is what I have now learnt! I don't normally think about feeding potatoes once they've had muck, and I know this has come up on another thread, but would this be a case for walloping on the comfrey tea because they are going to have to grow for longer?

**bearded bloke** · 27-05-2013, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by Gurberly View Post

Probably really obvious but I'm stumped ... what does BFB stand for?

Normally ...... Blood,Fish & Bone (fertiliser) although it may well be a spud variety,RDoY = Red Duke of York sort of thing

**BUFFS** · 27-05-2013, 12:13 PM

locally the spuds are about 6-7weeks behind,RDoY are now growing away but i think earlies wil be around august this year,we will just have to hope it ends up better than last year,good luck to all..

**SarzWix** · 27-05-2013, 12:24 PM

I think in this case BFB = Black Flower Buckets, which must be what Potty has his spuds planted in

**bearded bloke** · 27-05-2013, 03:31 PM

That seems right Sarz

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