[fisher]

Please, some advice on when to plant potatoes in our Somerset school garden... I have some first and second earlies chitting, and was hoping we could get them in before the Easter hols which start Good Friday.  However it's still going to be rather cool by the look of it.  What would you do?  Plant and cover?  Leave them til after Easter?.. the earliest we could do them would be around April 20th.  They need to be ready by early- mid July!

Ive managed to mix up which are 1sts and seconds  ..oooops!  But i expect it'll become clear as they grow!!
We'll probably have to put some in bags as we'll run out of space- Ive had some unsolicited ones given to me as well!
Thanks for any ideas on this
Fisher

[Salmo]

They will be fine after the Easter holidays. Leave them chitting. My calender marks Monday 22nd April as Earth Day, which is appropriate.

That will give them 90 days up to 21st July. Ists and 2nds should have have new potatoes by then which can be dug. They will not be mature so will not keep. If you have a poke about 2 weeks before that there should be a few on the earlies.

[sunshineband]

We are doing exactly as Salmo has said with our school garden.

Can't plant spuds in the snow, and the ground will still be awfully cold by Good Friday. Easter is incredibly early this year, so let's not worry 

[3759allen]

if your going to have to grow some in pots/ bags then work out what space you have in the ground for what amount of seed. then plant the rest in pots or bags and put them inside for a few weeks til the weathers better.

i've done a small amount of my earlies in the poly tunnel to get new spuds as soon as pos, for me this is to try and extend the crop as long as possible. but this way you should get more mature earlies by end of july.

[fisher]

Thanks for suggestions folks!
Fisher