[matt80]

Hi all,

My 2nd earlies have been in for 12 weeks and last night I lifted one of the plants to see how they were getting on. There were quite a lot of tubers, ranging from average 'new' potato size to slightly bigger.

The trouble is, I'm not sure what I should be aiming for with 2nd earlies. What size should they be when I harvest them? Do I eat them as new potatoes? How long will they store for in hessians sacks?

[matt80]

Oh, they are Estima by the way

[mumofstig]

The way I understand it...is that you can lift them as new potatoes and eat them within a few days, but if you want to store them then you wait for the foliage to die down before you harvest.

an 'expert' may be along in a little while 

[DD.]

I agree.

But I'm not an expert!

[Stevens706]

2nd Early Potatoes are new potatoes they just take another week or 2.

Is there such a thing as an "expert" in this game?? we all have different opinions often contradicting. That's the fun of GYO, just try it and see how it goes.

[mumofstig]

All potatoes could be new potatoes if you dig them early enough 

[DD.]

I grow Kestrel, which is a second early to maturity for storage as a maincrop spud.

In my opinion a "new" potato is one lifted before maturity to eat ASAP whilst still young. Not all second early spuds make good new potatoes and I would include Kestrel in this.

I don't think you can say carte blanche that second earlies are new potatoes, nor first earlies. It's the point at which you dig them up.

[gowing238]

my second earlys have got green balls growing on the top of them. They look like green berries!!! Thats not right is it!?

[mumofstig]

the potato seeds are inside............they are no problem.
But pick them off if you think the children might eat them 

[matt80]

Thanks for the replies. How long should a potato be in the ground for it to store well? How long would a 'new' potato keep if its stored well?

[DD.]

Time in the ground depends on the variety, so there is no hard & fast answer time wise, but the plant should be grown to maturity, i.e. the foiliage starts to die down.

As for storing new spuds - they never last long enough to see. I lift as needed.