Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: vineweevil1 on July 21, 2009, 13:27

Title: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: vineweevil1 on July 21, 2009, 13:27

We put in two rows of newies (1st earlies) and still have 1 row left in the ground.  The sluggies are getting to them now.  I realise that they won't be as nice as they were when we were first picking them, but is it worth digging them up and storing them in potato sacks?  Or should we just give up on them?

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: MoreWhisky on July 21, 2009, 15:11

Sorry i cant answer your question vine , but i was going to put a similar post myself.

I also have one 10m row of news still in the ground , about 8m of seconds and my row of maincrop is ready as well just about. I havent got a place really to store all these spuds so same question how long can they safetly stay in the ground?

I do plan on putting them im hessian sacks and putting them in my shed on the lotty but think at the moment it might get a bit hot in there so wanted to wait until the end of summer.

O i forgot a row of reds to   ::)

Im sure some nice potatoe expert will come along and ans our querys soon  :D

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: DD. on July 21, 2009, 15:14

All spuds will store in sacks for a reasonable length of time, but only once the potatoes are mature, i.e. the foliage has started to die back. You cannot store "new" (immature), spuds this way.

The storage properties of first earlies are not as good as main crop, (lates), so should be used first.

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: MoreWhisky on July 21, 2009, 15:19

Thanks DD , but just to check would u leave your first earlies in the ground for now and dig them up as you use them? and if so how long could they stay in?

Ive grown far to many spuds this yr lol.

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: vineweevil1 on July 21, 2009, 15:42

Thanks DD, foliage has died down on most, so I guess I will dig up and store and use as many as I can.

Tuesday tea - potato salad
Wednesday tea - roasted courgettes
Thursday tea - potato salad
Friday tea - roasted courgettes...............................

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: DD. on July 21, 2009, 16:28

I've used all my "Swift" up, the foiliage on my Pentland Jav's is still green, but just starting to turn, I'll be lifting them when ready and storing them. I find they are a first early that store quite well.

Title: Re: Storing new potatoes?
Post by: Glosterboy on July 21, 2009, 16:53

The wet weather which is currently sweeping across the UK will entice slugs to breed. Therefore, any potatoes which are ready for lifting (dried haulms) should be completed as soon as possible. To ensure you are not feeding the next generation of slugs.