[fatbelly]

Hi All,
I put my Pentland Javellin 1st Earlies in the ground at the usual date of mid March. We had a cold spring where I live and they just sat there not showing for weeks. 2 weeks ago they all made an appearance and are now just a couple of inches high. So they are I'd guess about 6 weeks behind!! Next week they will be 13 weeks in the ground which is the time I usually start to lift them but as I say they are only a few inches high right now. Has anyone come across this before and what did you do?

[m1ckz]

BEEN DIGGING MINE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW   and nice they are lol     and no  dont had that ever happen  g l

[al78]

Are you sure it was the temperature that held them back? Spring 2017 has been mild across the UK. If they have stalled for whatever reason the warm summer weather shold bring them on quickly. I've started earlies in tubs in May before and got a crop in early August.

[Salmo]

There is a lot of difference between Cheshire and Essex.

The Spring, except for a short warm spell, was long and cold so that the soil at potato level took a long time to warm up. You will just have to wait until the tops look as though they have potatoes under them.

[al78]

There is a lot of difference between Cheshire and Essex.

The Spring, except for a short warm spell, was long and cold so that the soil at potato level took a long time to warm up. You will just have to wait until the tops look as though they have potatoes under them.

Look again at the map I attached. There are no negative temperature anomalies ANYWHERE in the UK, including Cheshire. It is highly unlikely that one very localised area was somehow two degrees colder than everywhere else over the entire season, so I would put it to you that the perception of a cold spring is incorrect. Yes we had a destructive frost at the end of April, but frost in spring is normal, and one cold night does not make the whole season cold.

Those monthly and seasonal summary maps are created by the UK Met Office, using climate data obtained from around 250 weather stations across the UK. Whilst there will be some smoothing of any small scale local variation it is the best estimate of a monthly or seasonal summary for the UK.

[JayG]

Up here at least (), since planting out my Lady Christl spuds on 24th March it's been cool and dry followed by warm and dry (until the last few days - now very wet!)

If yours are behind the clock the missing ingredient is probably the lack of rain, although having said that I kept mine watered and they are about where I'd expect them to be after 10 weeks, which is a few weeks to go yet before the first tentative furtle.

[bayleaf]

Pentland Javelin are one of the latest first earlies. I wouldn't be looking for a crop from them until mid July. That was the timescale for me when I grew them here in Lancashire a few years ago. If you want something faster for next year try Rocket as a variety. I planted them at the end of March and it looks like I could be lifting them by the end of the month this year. Not sure why your potatoes took so long to show though.

[wapello]

Here on the Isle of Wight  i have been munching our spuds for  2+ weeks now peas are nearly ready,
runner beans at the top of 6ft sticks, carrots as well i dont thin them we start off as eating them as babies ,
peppers are well up in the tunnel, and the brockli taste nice as well,,yes not doing to bad on the Island,,

[engineer]

Harvested some Pentland Jav last week from the polytunnel, decent size but very poor boiling, turned to mush very easily, anyone any tips on how to cook these

[fatbelly]

Pc's have to be steamed to get the best taste.

[engineer]

Thanks Fatbelly, will revert to Charlotte next year, don't have any problem with them.

[greenjay]

had the first charlottes for dinner today.
 a bit on the small side but a fantastic taste.
I have mainly grown charlottes this year for taste and how well they keep their shape on boiling.

[Growster...]

had the first charlottes for dinner today.
 a bit on the small side but a fantastic taste.
I have mainly grown charlottes this year for taste and how well they keep their shape on boiling.

And they store fabulously too!

We sometimes have them in a sack well into the following spring, but to be fair, we're pretty fed up with them by then as we want white mashed spuds over the winter...

Plus ca change...