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  • #1

    Harvesting potatoes

    This is my second year growing potatoes, I didn't do very well with them last year but things appear to be going much better this year. I started harvesting my earlies last week and they are fabulous (Sharpes Express). I initially just felt around for potatoes whilst leaving the plants in place but a colleague told me I shouldn't do this but should pull the whole plant up. Following her advice, I pulled 2 up yesterday and got several potatoes but there were many more very small ones that hadn't developed which seemed a shame. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks Diana
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  • #2
    Think you were doing the right thing in the first place by rummaging about carefully to pull out the big one and leave the rest to finsh growing ..I would say ignore your friends advise and carry on with wot your doing for now until the plant looks a bit ragged and it's time Is up.
    My year log of growthhttp://http://backgardenfarm.blogspot.com/
    up dated blog 27th june ..pls read if u have the time
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0YjOHl2zI

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    • #3
      Thanks for the advice. I must admit that's what I thought, they are really healthy plants that look like they are still in their prime so it seems a shame to pull them up and I definitely want to get as many spuds as I can as they are so delicious. There are so many of my family and friends who advised against growing them as they said they take up too much room, as far as I am concerned I will continue to grow them as I have never tasted a better potato, shop ones don't even come close!

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      • #4
        They do take up alot of room but they are totally worth it. And yes you should have ignored your friend. Furtling - as we like to call it - is a common method of harvesting your first spuds. You can pull em up when they start to die back.

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        • #5
          I've grown them in sacks for years and so harvesting has been simple - wait for the foliage to die down and tip out the whole lot. It's the first time I've grown them in the ground, so I'm getting quite excited about having a furtle. It might be this evening now.
          Granny on the Game in Sheffield

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          • #6
            How do you furtle in the ground? In sacks it was easy, as it was pretty much all compost.. In the ground it's erm a bit different - hard, stoney etc

            Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?

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            • #7
              My spuds have been earthed up, so the soil is quite loose round the plants. I furtle with my fingers so as not to damage the spuds. Speaking of which, I may have a furtle today

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              • #8
                I buried mine, the ridged them as I was mid-weeding.. Also as I knew by the time they'd be breaking the surface kiddie #2 could be born (save me earthing them up). The surface seems to have capped a bit - it's quite tough. Some of my sweetcorn didn't make it through the surface - lesson learnt for next year... I'll be filling direct sown seed holes with compost rather than the soil again!

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by chrismarks View Post
                  How do you furtle in the ground? In sacks it was easy, as it was pretty much all compost.. In the ground it's erm a bit different - hard, stoney etc

                  Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?
                  You do it just the same - and you DO get mucky fingernails. The trick is not to mind!
                  Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                  www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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                  • #10
                    I just furtle with my hands as others have said but it's easy in my soil, pretty much no stones and quite lose where it's been broken up earlier in the year. Just pull out the number I need until I'll be next at the plot and leave everything else.

                    Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                    Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by chrismarks View Post

                      Do you use a trowel and dig around carefully?
                      That's what I did. Just treated it like an archaelogical dig.
                      Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                      By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                      While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                      At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

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                      • #12
                        [QUOTE=rustylady;862542 Speaking of which, I may have a furtle today [/QUOTE] Furtle cancelled - it's persisting down here at the moment.

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                        • #13
                          This thread has inspired me to go and have my very first furtle (in a rain break) and lo and behold, I could feel some good-sized, smooth, lovely potatoes! Very exciting!

                          Looks like I might have taters for dinner this weekend. First ever home growns. Eeep.

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                          • #14
                            Container grown take up little space,a good crop can be achieved,providing plenty of water,feed and good drainage is given.

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                            • #15
                              Potatos are just a very greed plant but the more you bow to there will the more they rewared you with there gratitude .
                              My year log of growthhttp://http://backgardenfarm.blogspot.com/
                              up dated blog 27th june ..pls read if u have the time
                              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0YjOHl2zI

                              Comment

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