[rookie1]

Hi all - I planted my seed potatoes (2nd earlies Maris Peer) on April 20th and there's still no sign of 'em ... Should I give up hope, or will they emerge when they're ready? Is there anything I should be doing, other than waiting??
thanks for any advice.

[LilacSandy]

I only have a couple of tops showing on my patch, I would just sit back and wait a little longer for them.

[Benandbill]

I planted mine on Good Friday and still not a peep.  Worried! 

[JayG]

I planted mine on 14th April and thought the first was up a week or so ago, but the more I look at it the more I think it's probably a volunteer.

The others only started appearing within the last few days - it's been very dry followed by rather wet and cool so I I'm not really surprised they're slow - depth of planting makes a difference too, of course.

[mumofstig]

The trouble is if you mound them up at planting time, they take a lot longer to grow through..........and any heat from the sun doesn't warm them up easily; although, of course, it does act as a deep layer of frost protection.

[Salmo]

Have a gentle dig down and find one. That will tell you exactly what is happening.

[fatbelly]

My Mains & 2nd Earlies are all up and showing but my 1st Earlies planted on the 1st April, which was 3 days before the rest are still not showing.

[Kleftiwallah]

The spud foliage I 'chopped' last year due to blight, are showing and coming along fine!  Don't know what I'll find when I dig them up (or if they get blight again this year)! ! ! 

Cheers,   Tony.

[rookie1]

thanks all for your views. It seems I'm not the only one with slow spuds.  Will give them a little longer before I investigate ... should I be watering them? All the books say there's no need at this stage....

[Salmo]

The spud foliage I 'chopped' last year due to blight, are showing and coming along fine!  Don't know what I'll find when I dig them up (or if they get blight again this year)! ! ! 

Cheers,   Tony.

They may well have carried blight over the Winter. They could get blight first and then spread it to your other potatoes and everybody else near you. Classic case of how blight outbreaks occur. You could be very unpopular withyour neighbours.

[shoozie]

thanks all for your views. It seems I'm not the only one with slow spuds.  Will give them a little longer before I investigate ... should I be watering them? All the books say there's no need at this stage....

All ours were planted in the third week in April - they are coming through now and got their first earthing up today. There's no need to water them at this stage (I don't water tatties in the ground at all as we tend to get more than enough from the sky!).  Best of luck, sure they'll be through in their own time.

[thundghh]

I wouldn't worry too much at the moment - there's always the possibility the up and down weather of the last few months has caused them not to know whether they are coming or going .. 

[Plot_29@_Lady_Mary]

My Mains & 2nd Earlies are all up and showing but my 1st Earlies planted on the 1st April, which was 3 days before the rest are still not showing.

Same thing happen to mine! I dug up the earlies to have a peek and found them all rotted. Luckily Home Bargains had some real bargains and bought 4 bags of still healthy looking early spuds for 29p per bag!

[homegrown]

Mine were planted similar times in bags.averaging a foot tall now. 1st 2nd and main

[Jackypam]

So does that mean that I should dig up the volunteers from last years blighty crop?  I was just celebrating my future money free, effort free potato crop and feeling pleased with myself!