[sunshineband]

Got very excited today as the long awaited congo potatoes (microtubers) have arrived.

Trouble is, information about them seems to be conflicting and I don't know if theyrae fast grwoing earlies or slwo but steady maincrops... does anyone know please?

I am growing them in a barrel at home as I can't bear the thought of worewprms getting into them at the plot 

I expect they will not taste so different but I have always fancied grwoing blue potatoes with blue flesh 

[Yabba]

If you goto iain@jba's website ( sorry, would link, but I'd have a commercial interest ), and head to mintubers > congo it says summat like :

Congo are a very late maturing variety with vivid blue/purple flesh. They are around 100 years old and provides moderate yields of medium size tubers. The root system is one of the largest I have ever seen and they look as if they are from some far off place. They could be a useful variety for making novelty crisp.

Guessing he should know

¥

[sunshineband]

Thank you Yabba -- that might actually mean they are not suitable for growing in a barrel I suppose .

Wonder what experts think??

[Iain@JBA]

I will attempt to grow them again this year but they seem to take forever to bulk up to any decent size.
I would plant your minitubers now in 3inch pots and then transplant them outside later on.
Mine were still growing well into late October and the extensive root system seems to make them unsuitable for container growing when I tried it.

[sunshineband]

Thank you for that advice Iain.

I shall put them in pots as you suggested.

Do they keep growing until the foliage is axed by frosts then?

[Iain@JBA]

Yes they just seem to keep growing foliage but don't grow very much below.

[sunshineband]

It sounds as though they might not be as exciting as I'd hoped, but I'll crack on and see.

Got mayan gold in though and I am excited about those 

[andy135]

This may be a stoopid question as I am still a novice, but if you treated them like tomatoes, and pinched out the side shoots to reduce the foliage, would that not encourage the plant to use its energy elsewhere......................?

[sunshineband]

I don't think this works with potatoes 

When their leaves get broken off by accident it doesn't seem to increase the yield 

[andy135]

OK, thanks.
Just a thought.