[mickeyboy]

I planted my first earlies (swift) on good friday. They have not yet flowered and in my eagerness to see what was going on i dug one up. I got 12 spuds of a large'ish size, some had been eaten, 2 where total goo and mush, and some had split.

The plants themselves are only 10" tall. I have read you crop when the plants have flowered or the buds have fallen. Mine have done neither. So my questions are, why have the ones i dug gone funny? And when should i dig the remaining plants? Also do i dig as i need/

Sorry for all the questions, hope someone can help.
Cheers

[Aidy]

First time I grew swift this year and they have been good, it could be down to slug or some other pest that been eating them and the tuber died and went to mush/goo, as yours mine didnt flower either but I must of caught at the right time as they were just the perfect size for me. I would get them all up now they should be ready, and the splitting maybe down to the dry spell and then all the rain, bit like toms do if you dont water then give them too much in one go.

[Annie]

The goo/mush one could have been the origional planted tuber,if the others were OK then I wouldn`t worry about that.Only a few of our first earlies have flowered so we are going to have a gentle dig from the side of a plant and remove anything of a good size,or recover if they seem too small.

[shaun]

strange when some dont flower its like they just cant be bothered

[Annie]

Would you bother in this weather?

[shaun]

i know what you mean annie if its not one thing its the other

[Aidy]

Yep nowt as strange as flowing spuds, last year my rocket didnt flower, this year they gone mad, thinking of cutting some and giving them to wifey    you know keep in good books.

[frazzy]

i have flowers on my main crop but not on my earlies tis weird. i notice today one of my second earlies had blight so i dug it up hope it dosent spread.  my huby,s  spuds are clear of blight  at the moment  but he dosent have any flowers yet  either.