[Farmer Woosnip]

Morning,

How do I know when my carrots and potatoes are ready?

I planted the spuds in about mid March and then we had all that warm weather in April, I've earthed them up once with some left over horse poo and now they're nearly up to my shoulders.

I heard that when they flower they're ready for digging..... but the main crop ones look like they're about to flower before the early ones....?

What about the carrots? They look quite big too....

[DD.]

Welcome to the forums.

This question has been asked, (as regards the spuds) several times recently. The answer is to have a furtle and see what's there - early spuds wise. Leave the maincrop until the foiliage dies down.

As regards the carrots, you can get an idea from the width of the shoulder, if you scrape away a bit of soil, but this is only a guide, it may be a stump underneath, there's only one sure way!

[Farmer Woosnip]

Thanks.

Define "furtle"?

Also, when the foliage dies down?
You mean just leave them until they fall over and look dead?

[mumofstig]

Define "furtle"?

have a read (and a laugh) of this
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=38149.msg454088#msg454088

[DD.]

You mean just leave them until they fall over and look dead?

Basically, yes.

[Farmer Woosnip]

Ok, thank you.