Really poor potato harvest

[matthew2riches]

I haven't had a massive harvest yet... a good amount of tatties but oh so tiny Bloody lovely though

[Bramble_killer]

Lifted another pot today as needed it to plant out sweet potatoes (sigh, bit late). Got 2.1kg from 3 seed potatoes.

I seem to be getting 750g/seed potato this year. Is that low or about right?

[zazen999]

As I abandoned most of mine this year, and left the rest to carry on; I'll not expect much from below ground once I can bear to dig them up. I was told that if you have Aminopyralid in your soil, you get about 20% of the crops that you should get normally.

I'll not hold my breath for the time being.

Having said that, one potato planted in the Amino wasn't affected; so I am saving the True Potato Seed if they grow.....I might be able to breed a potato that is unaffected and make my fortune.





Yeah right!

[Comfreyfan]

Definitely small harvest here. I was surprised that they flowered as soon as they did, but I see now that they are stressed and not actually producing many spuds!

Good yield from the volunteers tho! Which were gorgeous, going to get Lady Christl again for next year.

[zazen999]

Interesting; I just had a furtle of one of the Amino-ed plants which hasn't flowered and is a main crop, so not ready yet anyway, and got 5 decent sized ones with just a little digging down.....so all may still not be lost. I may yet have SOME potatoes this year.


Phew!

[Dane End Dolly]

6 charlotte plants, enough for 4 meals for the 2 of us.....worst year ever. hoping main crop will be better

[Plot1]

I dug my first earlies up on Saturday and was averaging about 5 potatoes per plant. I was quite please with this bearing in mind I absent mindedly planted them in the shade of some large trees which over the past month has got a lot thicker causing the potato plants to lean at a disconcerting angle towards light.

I've kept them well watered but the fact that they have not been frazzled in the hot sun appears to have possibly helped them.

[Jalnald]

Potato crops

This year I have tried growing potatoes for the first time. I chose potato bags and planted as per suppliers instructions. Having just emptied my 3rd sack I am disappointed with the results. There was only just enough potatoes in each sack for a small portion each. There are 4 of us. They were absolutely delicious but just not enough of them. Can anyone give me any tips for growing again next year.

[zazen999]

Jalnald - I've merged you with the current 'rubbish potato harvest' thread - and as you can see, it's a common problem. Even for our resident expert, Tattieman.

[flowerofshona]

Very poor in Dorset to 3 plants for enough for 1 meal for 2 people !!

[poohpouri]

when r potatoes ready

hi planted out some 2nd earlies in April just wondering if anyone knew when they would be ready.. they are Roosters
thanks

[zazen999]

I've merged you with the current discussion.

You might want to have a furtle and see.....before you dig the whole plant up.

[BUFFS]

i used some b&q peat free compost i was gifted,to plant up some big tubs with charlotte tatties, 3 potato in each tub,3tubs,and with our very cool,very humid weather,they started to look like they had blight,so i lifted them,in total 9 plants =1.5k of spuds,i lifted a tub planted up with my own compost and earth mixed,from 3 plants = 4.7k,i told the guy who gave me the bagged compost(still sealed) and he says "i know,its crap isnt it"",i could have throttled him,but could only laugh,he was so serious,i will put it in the spare compost bin with some good ingredients and put it round the flowers next year,oh now calls it "the funny compost" and i suppose she is right whatever way you look at it,wont be using that again...

[Cherry Blossom]

We emptied two bags of earlies and got 2 lbs 15 and 3/4 oz worth. Some are teeny tiny, others are quite a nice size.
I think the heatwave we have had in the south east has caused a problem. Still, they are better looking than they were last year! xxx

[Rixy]

Well, sorry if this sounds like gloating but I must be bucking the trend, I have so far dug up three of my 2nd earlies and got 2.5kg off one of them 2.2kg and 2.4kg off the other two, decent sized tubers too which is excellent. I have another 12 plants to pull too and if they all produce the same amount I'll be more than happy.

Main crop have started to flower now but I will leave it another couple of weeks before I have a furtle under them. I suppose it was down to good management rather than luck though that my potato crop didn't suffer with the late frosts like so many others on our allotment site did, ritually going down on a night and covering the ground and first growth of haulms with both straw and hessian sacking seemed to do the trick .