Which spuds?

[burnie]

There's a chance I may not have room for tatties this year, with re-designing of the "ground beds" there's no room until I get the old apple tree roots out of the ground, I might get some later ones like Pink Fir Apples.

[FBI]

I have a few buckets of last year's Apache already about a foot high in the GH; they were last year's stored ones (they don't store well, apparently) but they taste lovely and look nice. Charlottes will go in buckets in March and I'm going to try Anya too; I've done Desiree (ooer) in the past but maincrops are so cheap I don't think I'll bother again with the amount of space they take up.

[quanglewangle]

... but maincrops are so cheap I don't think I'll bother again with the amount of space they take up.

I took that view until last year when I got given the garden next door, a roughish 8m x 40m patch (house going to be holiday let). I grew maincrop to clean the ground and just keep it busy. It is quite convenient to just wander up the back get get them. The Sarpo Mira we grew out-competed the rubbish and keep well in the ground

[FBI]

I took that view until last year when I got given the garden next door, a roughish 8m x 40m patch (house going to be holiday let). I grew maincrop to clean the ground and just keep it busy. It is quite convenient to just wander up the back get get them. The Sarpo Mira we grew out-competed the rubbish and keep well in the ground

I know what you mean - my Desirees were lovely but left me with a big space that I couldn't use for anything else and I'll have at least 30 buckets of 'fun' spuds anyway so, for the few times when we fancy chips or mash we're lucky to have a greengrocer up the road who sells good local tatties. I've filled the spud bed with onions this year instead , although what I'll replace those with when pulled I'm not yet sure - maybe carrots.

[monkeyboy]

Last year was RDOY and I think King Edward as mains. RDOY did well in 2018 but suffered in 2019 a little. KE were a lot smaller.

I'm growing potatoes in buckets but I still think they're overcrowded. I love RDOY so will keep that as my FE. I might try Maris Piper this year for MC.

[broadway]

Only ever grown in pots however first year in the allotment therefore I've ordered Spunta Second Early &In ternational Kidney First Early, will probably get a few others as I have space to burn

Purchased 2kg King Edwards yesterday.

[mcdood]

I had a good crop of King Edwards last year and I've saved around 2kg of that harvest to use this year, intrigued to see the results.
I've also bought some Pentland Javelin, Charlotte and Desiree. And also some Swift to start off in containers in a couple of weeks to try and get some early spuds.

[broadway]

Anyone have advice regarding christmas spuds, type, when to purchase/plant, ground or container?

[FBI]

Anyone have advice regarding christmas spuds, type, when to purchase/plant, ground or containerror?

I'll be starting some Charlottes in buckets in August and moving them into the greenhouse as soon as there's space, ready for Santa...

[broadway]

I'll be starting some Charlottes in buckets in August and moving them into the greenhouse as soon as there's space, ready for Santa...

Thanks FBI

[quanglewangle]

Chit first early spuds or straight in the ground?

Commercial growers are well on with planting first early potatoes around here. I can't believe they chit them: too many and they wouldn't stand the handling without the sprouty bits coming off.

Question is: if they don't chit, should I?

[Martin H]

I always think of chitting as a way of keeping the seed potatoes in good condition until I'm ready to plant them. But once the ground is ready and I can keep the frost off young plants, they go in the ground chitted or not.

[Bren In Pots]

QW mine get chitted because I bought them today but I won’t be planting them for a couple of months, they’ll be staying in egg boxes on a bedroom window sill.

[quanglewangle]

I could plant them now and not bother chitting. The danger of hard frost will have pasded by the time they are though. Will fleece them anyway.

What's the downside of not chitting?

[Losttheplot46]

First early - Arron pilot.
Main crop - Rooster.

Both from wilkos when I wasn't even after potatoes yet.

Will definitely be getting some pink fir apple again. In really poor conditions last year they still produced a really good crop and the taste was great.