[chris23005]

Back in March I planted up three containers of different varieties of potatoes, one was a first early (Swift), one was a second early and the other was a main crop.

They have all survived the frosts well with no blackened bits and are big and healthy plants,  but to my surprise, the second earlies are well budded up but I cannot see any flowers on the first earlies! Well, what I CAN see are tiny little tufts of something which may or may not be flowers but they don't look like the flowers on the other potatoes.

As Swift is supposed to be ready fairly soon I am somewhat confused. Is anyone else growing this variety and if so, can you tell me what the flowers are supposed to look like?

[DD.]

Swift is a variety that does not flower:

http://varieties.potato.org.uk/display_description.php?variety_name=Swift

[chris23005]

Swift is a variety that does not flower:

http://varieties.potato.org.uk/display_description.php?variety_name=Swift

Well what a relief!!!! I guess I just wait for the foliage to die back then?

[Salmo]

If you wait until the tops die down the whole point of growing earlies will be lost. Only maincrop that you wish to store need to die down before they are harvested.

The tufts on the Swift are their equivalent of flowers and there are probably potatoes formed under them. Push your fingers into the compost and see what you can find.

Eat the small egg size potatoes while they are immature and enjoy the taste that only earies have.

[DD.]

In other words - "have a furtle".

[nilsatis1964]

I am growing swift also and i was going to wait until the weekend of the 5th June to start lifting them.  The foilage was knocked back a couple of times by the frost so I am giving about 2 weeks longer than possible.

[tontom]

I've grown Pentland Javelin 1st early,Maris Peer 2nd early, Desiree maincrop.The maincrop are the tallest haulms, 2nd early next tallest and the 1st early are behind in height with some just coming through and all are earthed up and all planted on the same day Good Friday , any thoughts as to why they are  growing like this ?

[nilsatis1964]

The main crop produce more larger potatos therefore needs bigger plants to feed the tubers.  The first earlies will be no bigger than a large egg and fewer in number therefore do not need as much to plant to produce the tubers.

[tontom]

Thanks nilsatis a bit obvious when i think about it !

[chris23005]

In other words - "have a furtle".

Oooooooh ooooooooh! You mean, I can furtle NOW?!!!!!!! My husband is always telling me to be patient so for once it looks as if I can do what comes naturally and have a peek!!! We have visitors this weekend so it looks as if new potatoes from the garden could be on the menu plus strawberries are ripening nicely - just enough for a Pavlova methinks! Autumn planted garlic almost ready to lift too. This is getting exciting!!!

[DD.]

Don't get over excited, it's often well into June before mine are ready and remember how cold it's been this year.

[prakash_mib]

In other words - "have a furtle".

Oooooooh ooooooooh! You mean, I can furtle NOW?!!!!!!! My husband is always telling me to be patient so for once it looks as if I can do what comes naturally and have a peek!!! We have visitors this weekend so it looks as if new potatoes from the garden could be on the menu plus strawberries are ripening nicely - just enough for a Pavlova methinks! Autumn planted garlic almost ready to lift too. This is getting exciting!!!

strawberries ripening, new potatoes ready to dig (not), garlic ready... chris you are from a different planet altogether

[chris23005]

In other words - "have a furtle".

Oooooooh ooooooooh! You mean, I can furtle NOW?!!!!!!! My husband is always telling me to be patient so for once it looks as if I can do what comes naturally and have a peek!!! We have visitors this weekend so it looks as if new potatoes from the garden could be on the menu plus strawberries are ripening nicely - just enough for a Pavlova methinks! Autumn planted garlic almost ready to lift too. This is getting exciting!!!

strawberries ripening, new potatoes ready to dig (not), garlic ready... chris you are from a different planet altogether

Well, despite all the gloomy frost forecasts we weren't hit quite as bad here - our village lies in a valley and I think we are more protected. Also my veg area is a raised bed with a brick wall at the back of it - in fact a brick wall surrounds one end of the garden completely, so it probably helps to retain any warmth and shelters the plants. I also covered my potatoes (in containers) AND everything else on the raised bed with 3 or 4 layers of newspaper topped off with a doubled over flannelette sheet (no fleece!) and took my pots of strawberries into the garage. MY OH thought I had cracked up, but after all that work I wasn't going to be beaten.

The autumn planted garlic is looking really fat and healthy (tops of plants that is), and OH didn't believe that the strawberries were ripening until he looked at them himself. There are about four which are almost fully red - a really deep red too! Hope the slugs don't get there before me!

Will keep my hands off the potatoes for a bit longer. Just checked on the web and it says that Swift are ready for harvesting 10 weeks from planting which makes it 7th June. As they haven't been hit by frost, I am hoping that they will be ready soon!!!

Tomatoes are another story however - I have given up on them!