Advice please frosty potatoes

[stella]

I have been trying to grow 3 seeds pots in a pot. They have been doing really well with lots of leafy top growth and have been in the pot for 9 weeks. Although they are in the greenhouse with bubble wrap round them the top has been hit by the frost and gone soggy and fallen over. I cant get my hand in the soil to furtle around, should I go for it and tip them out or leave it till the spring

[womble]

I suspect this latest weather will have scuppered most peoples attempt at growing christmas potatoes.

It depends where you are, if you are in the UK, I'd say give it up and tip them out (if you have any worth tipping out) and if you are in Italy and expect good weather for the rest of the time, maybe hang on and see if the plant regrows. Doubtful though, depends how cold they got.

[stella]

In S London at moment, is there any chance they will spring back up if the weather softens?

[womble]

Well all the green growth would be dead by the sound of it. Because the plants have been in pots, I'm guessing they will be dead.
But someone else may have another idea.

[Nicos]

So long as the seed potato didn't get frozen, I reckon they'll sprout again.

Tbh...I'd leave them and wait and see- once you tip them out then that'd be the end...there may yet still be a chance of spuds in the Spring

[weekendwellies]

I reckon they will have another go at growing when it gets warmer. If you dont need the space for summat else I would leave them and see what happens.

[stella]

Well there goes my experiment for Christmas pots I have just had a look at them and I dont think I could get them out even if I tipped the bucket up. It is sooooooo cold out there

[rustylady]

I really don't think you will have new potatoes for Xmas Stella.

[zazen999]

If they've been in 9 weeks, that was the end of Sept - and they would have needed to be in August time to be anywhere near ready for Christmas.....to get growing before the cold snap. And that's without this early cold snap......

[stella]

Oh well too late again, it was worth a try

[zazen999]

Oh well too late again, it was worth a try

That's growing veg for you!!!

Mr Frosty always wins out in the end.....

[maytreefrannie]

I have two small bins in the polytunnel, with extra plastic over them.

Other years, I've left them outside and forgotten to cover before the frost. I'm hoping for the best this year.

In any case, I keep trying, it always seems like a good idea in August, though we've never had homegrown Christmas spuds so far.

[stella]

That has cheered me up, I like your quote, it seems to fit

[gojiberry]

I think the weather this year has been exceptional in that the cold has come early and is prolonged. I think it was 3 years ago it was end of Jan before the first frost and was easy to get new potatoes for Xmas. You just have to go with the weather.

Ian

[maytreefrannie]

You're right about the frost, that was my mistake other years - forgot to protect the bins. So far, the two small bins in the polytunnel, under an extra plastic cover, seem to be OK, mainly I guess because the foliage has been covered over about a week ago.