Time to dig up potatoes?????

[voodoo veg]

I read in a free mag the other day that its now time to dig up maincrop potatoes.......

Is this correct???? I have already dug up my maincrops from the ground as they were getting potato scab but still have LOADS in containers. From the article I was getting the impression if I don't dig 'em up they will rot or something.

So please chaps...do I need to go and empty me pots or what???

[Waffler]

I've dug up some of mine and really need to get the last row up (today??). The longer they're in the ground, the more susceptible they are to slug attacks, and I guess frost damage. I would've thought your container grown potatoes would be a bit safer from slugs, but not from frost. My advice would be to get them up and stored.

[ugly gourd]

Im just finishing digging mine up they are so full of slugs wireworms there not worth storing Its true that frost damages them my dad always makes them go sweet a horrible sweet musty flavour to the flesh

[Alice]

What a shame about your potatoes Ugly Gourd. Why not try some in containers next year as they come out just perfect.

[nick the grief]

Is yours an established plot UG? If it's newly converted to Veggies you will have a lot of trouble with Wireworm etc but the more you cultivate the soil the better it will get, so don't give up.

As to lifting spuds, I had mine in about a month now but if you grow something like Desiree they will stand a bit longer & are supposed to be a bit more slug resistant.

[ugly gourd]

containers good idea but I grow 25kg of early then 25kg maincrop so no good for me I grew picasso this year another allotmenter did as well his were great but he lifted his 6 weeks ago I left them because the tops hadnt died down then we had the rain and the warmth I think it was just a bad year any other year mine would have been lifted end of sept at the latest so Im going to try picasso next year and hope for a normal year!!! my dad always grew desiree for years always good same plot but mine were awfull little pebbles just havent got his touch !! but my caulis are better than he ever grew!!

[burnie]

I must confess I always lift tatties as I need them and I'm down to my last couple of plants now.The difference is I grow to eat fresh as I don't have the room to grow enough of them for storing.It's interesting to see how they perform,the first ones(I've grown pink fir apple)were lifted soon after the tops started to wilt were smaller but sweeter in taste.The ones I lifted the other day were twice the size and a lot fuller in flavour.Gives you a chance to make a decision on what to grow next year and when I will harvest.

[NOG]

Depends on the type some get better the longer they are out of the ground. Also our plots turn from Sainbury carpark hard in the summer to the somme this time of the year so we need to get them out by end Sept so we can lime and rotivate.

[Earthbabe]

We lifted our desirees a good few weeks ago and they are in store in paper sacks. Earlies got lifted as we went until about mid-august when we lifted what was left. I still have some to sort through and parboil before freezing.

[Waffler]

Lifted the last row of maincrop yesterday, but haven't sorted and stored (some) them yet An interesting result, as these were planted under the row of runner and french beans to utilise space. They didn't crop as well as the other row though, but were less slug damaged. Make of that what you will.

[voodoo veg]

Thanks everyone...gues I'd better get 'em in as we had frosty cars last night when I came home from work