Potatoes Made Easy

[COMPOST CORNER]

I intend standing the pots on polystyrene about an inch thick (Gh is on concrete base) to shield from cold floor.
I was also considering using my three shelf placcy mini GH inside the polycarb Gh to create an extra layer of insulation.
Good idea?bad idea?

[tattieman]

I had tried to get ahead of the game by planting a couple of spuds earlier this year in my unheated greenhouse but the frost was so bad that it did rot the spuds.
If I was putting them out now I would put a frame over them made of bubblewrap and hope for the best.

[COMPOST CORNER]

Another question. Pink Fir Apple? i thought these were a salad potato, so assumed early, but apparently not.
As I have never grown them before, how long between planting and harvest? And will the do OK in containers?
Ok, that's more than one question I know.

[tattieman]

Compost corner Pink Fir Apple take around 24 weeks so they should be planted as soon as possible. They will grow in containers but seem to thrive better in open ground. They also have large foliage which can make container growing difficult. I would cheat and start to grow each potato in pots with some general purpose compost and then plant them outside in the ground just like a potted plant. That should advance the growth.
From now on I will refer to Pink Fir Apple as PFA just to keep it simple.

[Brengirl]

I put this request on the wrong thread so have moved it here:

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I have just bought a 10kg bag a Saxon seconds. The blurb says they are good for everything particularly mash so I am going to take out a few for chitting. They are rather large and some have eyes. Shall I take off the eye section and chit that or chit the whole tatter.

[tattieman]

Brengirl if you click on my link to videos I have a video that shows you how to chit them.
Hope it answers the question.

[Lazgaot]

Tattieman, quick question. I want to re-plant some seed potatoes from last year, however some are quite scabby but no blight. If I use these as seed potatoes in bags rather than back in the lottie am I just going to get more scabby tatties? Should I choose the ones with little or no scabs as the seeds?

Also, does the size of the seed potato affect the size of the crop? If so, how?
Ta!

[pipkins]

Argh!!

Just found the roosters in a carrier bag long white shoots(bu**er)

Ok to rub them off

Thanks

[tattieman]

Tattieman, quick question. I want to re-plant some seed potatoes from last year, however some are quite scabby but no blight. If I use these as seed potatoes in bags rather than back in the lottie am I just going to get more scabby tatties? Should I choose the ones with little or no scabs as the seeds?

Also, does the size of the seed potato affect the size of the crop? If so, how?
Ta!

Don't worry about the scab if it was caused by hot weather which I call common scab. It will not produce scabby offspring as it is purely a superficial problem on the skin. As long as the scab is not over the eyes of the potatoes they will be fine.

Argh!!

Just found the roosters in a carrier bag long white shoots(bu**er)

Ok to rub them off

Thanks

Yes just gently rub them off without damaging the eyes of the potatoes.

[janeyo]

Benn wading through this thread to seek some answers - found them too, thanks, and think tattieman deserves a medal! How des he have time to actually do any potatoing?

[chriscross1966]

Another question. Pink Fir Apple? i thought these were a salad potato, so assumed early, but apparently not.
As I have never grown them before, how long between planting and harvest? And will the do OK in containers?
Ok, that's more than one question I know.

They do taste good though!... They also store really well... They are quite an old fashioned variety as demonstrated by their late maincrop status and the rather enthusiastic topgrowth.... if it wasn't for the flavour I doubt they'd be grown anywhere... as it is they are the first spud on my shopping list... If you want something similar (but not quite as nice) that is a bit more modern in its habits and much earlier then look out for Anya..... it's also not quite as epically knobbly as PFA, which can be frequently mistaken for a Jerusalem Artichoke (or as my 5 year old neice, looking into the box of PFA's in the garage, put it "Uncle Chris, why have you grown alien potatoes?")

chrisc

[susiewoosie]

Quick question. My potatoes are all chiiting nicely apart from my PFA. Will they still be okay to plant.

Another question. Can I use poultry pellets or BFB in the containers for my potatoes.

Thanks

[chris]

I can't believe how fast some of mine have chitted. I know that you don't have to chit mains, but I got 4 roosters given to me [aka I was extremely cheeky at the garden centre ] couple weeks ago.. just stuck them next to the maris pipers that were going a bit funny in the fridge, so put them next to the earlies that were chitting - and the roosters are probably about 0.5cm long in terms of shoots already!

I think my others are wanting to go out, so I may see if I can hold off until the weekend after next, as I've no where really where I can put them (bar the garage, but it does get v.cold in there).

Grapes.. meet "horny" as I've dubbed this spud.

[chris]

Quick question. My potatoes are all chiiting nicely apart from my PFA. Will they still be okay to plant.

Another question. Can I use poultry pellets or BFB in the containers for my potatoes.

Thanks

As far as I know PFA's are maincrop - which don't need to be chitted, due to the length of time that they're in the ground.

I had some Maris Pipers in the fridge being stored, but they started to go mouldy, so removed them and thought what the heck, and have chitted mine - they're no where near as large as the other earlies' shoots mind.. Infact, tiny in comparison.

[Alison]

I always chit all my potatoes and funnily enough PFA don't really produce much in the way of sprouts at all before you plant them. Last year mine were planted out mid April still looking pretty much how they had 6 weeks earlier before they'd had a holiday in egg boxes. Produced a beautiful crop which we're still eating now (had some last night, just as nice as when first dug up) so you should be fine. Will be planting mine out in about a month as last year, direct in the beds.