maincrop pots ready for lifting?

[Vince G]

The foliage on our Maris Pipers is starting to go yellow. They've not been under or over watered in my opinion, but surely it's too early to be lifting them - they were planted last week of March. I've still got some first earlies in the ground!

Anyone else's doing the same?

[roitelet]

I would firstly check very carefully for blight and if there isn't any have a furtle to see what the potatoes are like. Main crop spuds need 120 days growth at least. Should you be unlucky enough to find blight cut off all the top growth and leave them for 2 to 3 weeks before you lift them.

[Two_Sheds]

Lots of our spuds are going yellow & collapsing due to the drought. Some of them are salad size while others are baking size

They aren't going to grow any more once the foliage has died, so get them out to make space for other crops

[brownfingers]

Listening to Monty Don on GW this week on about spuds. He said 3 months for 1st earlies, maincrop after 4 months. Seems optimistic to me. I've aways gone 15 weeks onwards for 1sts, 20weeks for 2nds, and 24 for maincrop.

[Barking Postlethwaite]

I've aways gone 15 weeks onwards for 1sts, 20weeks for 2nds, and 24 for maincrop.

Depends where you are and on the season, I think. This year I was taking 1st earlies (Duke of York) after 13 weeks, and they were of a size where I could (and probably should) have started on them a week earlier.

[marchogaeth]

I'd have a look under one root and if they are still a bit small, try giving a Nitrogen feed to keep the tops going a bit longer. My second earlies are a bit previous this year having looked less than exciting most of the way through so I'm giving them pee feed for a last little boost. I'd like another 10-14 days really.

Have to say my Axona main crop look outstanding (as long as they aren't all tops!). There are three in the same iffy second early bed and they really well so I don't know what's up with the seconds.

[Green Gerkin]

My Maris pipers are looking amazing, much better than my earlies. Maris pipers foliage is just flowering, they have only been in 9 weeks, I want them to last another 8 weeks!
I'm only just lifting the earlies.


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[Chris172]

Hi started to lift my charlottes this week end absolutely brilliant

The taste is great and waxy however they keep their shape and give a great

Month don gave his recommendations on the charlotte on Friday however after tasting them I agree

Happy gardening


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[Nannysally99]

We grew Charlottes last year, somehow managed not to this year. Hence nothing I am cooking tastes as good, a lesson learnt for next season

[Potstubsdustbins]

All my spuds seem to have a gallop on this year, I have put it down to the every mild start to the season.

My main crop Picasso put down on the 08/04 have huge haulms with flowers but they are still a nice healthy green so I am hoping to keep them going for a while yet.

[marchogaeth]

Had a really good look at the 2nd earlies this a.m and I would say they have definitely perked up in the foliage dept from a couple of pee feeds.

[shona_b]

Our earlies - Lady Crystal - are definitely ready - one row up and large spuds IMHO for earlies. The other rows which are a mix of PICASSO and some maincroppers I can't think of - DISEREE I think for some all look very sorry for themselves. The site has had blight so I am thinking of chopping back all foliage as we are away for two weeks and I can't see them growing much more.

[BUFFS]

my salad blue tatties are looking to be ready in 3 - 4 weeks so getting ready for my favourite "blue chips", we eat loads of "healthy" foods but you have to have chips sometimes as all the fatty/unhealthy foods all taste so good and these taste terrific, with a nice piece of haddock, peas out of the garden and maybe some onions from the same source, does that make it a healthy meal?......

[sparrow100]

I've been taking up the first earlies for a bit - planted at different times in March & April and pulled up at 13 weeks. On the taste front I prefer the charlottes (most of these are still in the ground, but I 'needed' some the other week ). Lady Christl are a good waxy spud, but I found that mine had huge numbers of pea-sized spuds as well as the whoppers and others lurking beneath. Not tried the Pentland Javelin yet, but I got 6kg from 8 seed spuds (with no faffy teeny potatoes) and just over 11 kg from 16 Lady C's. Have no idea if that's good or bad, but it'll keep us and friends in potatoes for some time!

Am keeping the desirees till mid-August if I can - the ones in a bag are going yellow, the ones in soil look blissfully happy.

Hope that helps.