[willnbirdie]

Hi

Just a quick question - I know that you harvest first earlies once the flowers have opened or the buds have dropped off.  

Can anyone tell me roughly how long this would be after the first sign of flowers, ie we can just see the shoots now clearly with flower heads.

cheers

willnbirdie

[shifty]

my spuds from buds to flowering took about 10 days, they are desery (think thats how you spell it) Had the first boiling yesterday SUPERB!!!!!!!!        

[compostqueen]

Desiree, and they are fab.  I love em.Slugs don't cos they're dead 'ard  

[shifty]

Desiree, and they are fab.  I love em.Slugs don't cos they're dead 'ard  

It's hard and they were nutty, sweet, butter'n'chives GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!, he he..  

[compostqueen]

they store for absolutely ages too.  Desiree chips please  

[shifty]

they store for absolutely ages too.  Desiree chips please  

Im new to this, but when you say ages, do you mean a couple of weeks, a month?

[compostqueen]

Months.  I put mine in hessian sacks but I think you can use paper sacks too     I store mine in the wash house and it's dry, dark and cool which is what you want.   I dry them off in the sun first, when dry you can then rub the soil off, don't rub too hard though. Then once nice and dry you can store them. Only store those in good nick. You can eat the less than perfect ones first

[shifty]

Months.  I put mine in hessian sacks but I think you can use paper sacks too     I store mine in the wash house and it's dry, dark and cool which is what you want.   I dry them off in the sun first, when dry you can then rub the soil off, don't rub too hard though. Then once nice and dry you can store them. Only store those in good nick. You can eat the less than perfect ones first

Again, cheers  

[love-my-plot]

Your Desiree are ready VERY early  :shock:    They're maincrop spuds, which is why they store well. Most of my earlies are still in the ground, and  maincrop have ages to go yet

When did you plant them  :?:

[willnbirdie]

Desiree are our main crop too just starting to show signs of flowering.

Our firsts are Pentland Javelin - disturbed one when earthing up on the w/e - small (about 1.5" across) but perfectly formed - tasted great too no point leaving it in the ground wouldn't of grown any more it was yum - looking forward to the rest - hopefully in 2-3 weeks then?!

willnbirdie

[gobs]

A lot of point leaving in the ground, that is they grow.

Even the new pots sound little, from what you say, Desiree will be ready end of summer for storing, being late main crop, no harm in taking some early, but might be quite a waste.

[Rampant_Weasel]

i stared eating mine now, only getting 4-5 spuds per plant but i got so many it makes sense to eat them while they are so dear in the the shops, by the time ive polished these off the 2nd earlies will be well on.this is my theory anyway

[shifty]

Your Desiree are ready VERY early  :shock:    They're maincrop spuds, which is why they store well. Most of my earlies are still in the ground, and  maincrop have ages to go yet

When did you plant them  :?:

 
It was round about the middle of march, I planted them in compost in a recycling box. as my bed wasn't in at that time...  

[willnbirdie]

So does the little potato (1.5" accross) that got knocked off it's root sound small to you?  They were planted 12 weeks ago and the flower buds are just beginning to to show - no colour can be seen yet just the outside green.

We were wondering if the cold weather had slowed things down?

willnbirdie