When are spuds ready to harvest?

[Opal]

Can anyone tell me, when spuds are ready to harvest? The plants have all wilted to nearly nothing and some of the spuds are actually appearing at the surface and some are really huge! I sowed them earlier in the year.

Thanks

[TEB]

Depends on the variety but between 13 to 17 weeks

[SarzWix]

If the plants have wilted and the spuds are showing near the surface, then I think you should be digging them up now. If the light gets to the tubers it will make them turn green and then they are poisonous and mustn't be eaten.

Once you've dug them up, let them dry on the surface for a little while, then knock off most of the soil and store in paper sacks or cardboard boxes. Any that look to be slug damaged, or that you spear with the fork should be put to one side for immediate use - if you store them with the other they might cause rot

[bobleponge]

Sound like they are pretty much ready about now
Ditto what Sarz says re storage and usage.

[Jardiniere]

i thought that as long as they were not on the surface it was ok to leave them in the ground as long as you lift them before the first frost?

[SarzWix]

It is, except that the slugs might have a party in them
And Opal's are showing on the surface, so they need to come up before they're ruined by the light getting to them.

[Opal]

Many thanks for all your advice - I shall get digging!