[Growster...]

We have a 40' row of these still in the ground, and up to now, the previous earlies have been a low yield, mainly because of the dry weather, but plenty for the two of us.

The last row of 'Lady Christl' had been severely taken by slugs, so I'm wonderering if it might be better to bring the whole lot out now, and put them away in the dark and the dry.

It seems that slugs will be going for anything with the slightest moisture, as the soil is very dry, and presumably they don't think much of that...

Any views anyone?

[azubah]

I dig mine up as we need them this time of year as if I find that they go soft in storage if you dig them up when it is warm.
I shall start digging up for storage in October, hoping to get them all out before the first significant frost.

[Growster...]

I dig mine up as we need them this time of year as if I find that they go soft in storage if you dig them up when it is warm.
I shall start digging up for storage in October, hoping to get them all out before the first significant frost.

Thanks Azubah, are your potatoes 'second earlies'?

[Kristen]

Not tried it, but I wonder if you lifted them (to avoid further slug damage) and then put them in a slug-proof clamp whether that would keep them better than "loose" in a box / hessian sack.

Perhaps some slug pellets around the clamp would stop slugs getting in - unless they are already in the soil used to make the clamp.

We've harvest barely any of our second earlies, so I ought to check for slug damage and make a similar decision.

[Growster...]

Not tried it, but I wonder if you lifted them (to avoid further slug damage) and then put them in a slug-proof clamp whether that would keep them better than "loose" in a box / hessian sack.

Perhaps some slug pellets around the clamp would stop slugs getting in - unless they are already in the soil used to make the clamp.

We've harvest barely any of our second earlies, so I ought to check for slug damage and make a similar decision.

It's an odd one this year, Kristen. Normally the second earlies get hoiked out as we need them, but if the slugs are just swanning around, and getting in the way and eating the crops, then it makes sense to lift the spuds and stop all that!

I think I'll do a furtle around later, and see to what extent the damage is getting to! I could do a clamp as you suggest but I've never heard of a clamp of earlies before, so you may have hot on a solution!

[Mrs Bee]

After reading your post Growster, I thnk I will send OH to have a furtle too.

We have Juliettes in a raised bed and the rest are CHarlottes.
We have been harvesting the CHarlottes from the bags in the garden first as we need them. The Juliettes have been furtled and are looking good but not checked out the Charlottes. WIll go and tell OH now
Don't want the ruddy slugs getting their suckers in our spuds!

[Yorkie]

I've harvested Charlottes until the following March so they can stand if need be.

[pigguns]

I lifted mine this morning and they were just the right size now, before had been a really low yield.  These ones went in late- around first week June I think.  No slug, scab or wireworm damage at all and came out clean  despite growing over couch grass in a no-dig newspaper layer and manure bed.  I lifted them all as I'm a bit worried the slugs will be heading back when it rains this weekend.....

[azubah]

I dig mine up as we need them this time of year as if I find that they go soft in storage if you dig them up when it is warm.
I shall start digging up for storage in October, hoping to get them all out before the first significant frost.

Thanks Azubah, are your potatoes 'second earlies'?

I have second earlies and lates. We have hardly started on our spuds this year. We don't seem to be eating as many as in previous years. I found that the charlottes dug up last November lasted till April in storage, but if dug up and left in the kitchen they went soft in a fortnight. This does not solve your slug problem, however.. perhaps they will still be growing and will outpace the slugs appetites..

[Growster...]

As of today, they're still in reasonably good shape, but it's the rain which I feel will change all that!

I'm going to do a serious furtle this weekend, and see how far the rain has got in, and indeed, if the perishing slugs are around, then the whole lot is coming out!

Interesting comments here, thank you, as we all need to consider options even if we're supposed to be experts on our own patches..

[gobs]

We have a 40' row of these still in the ground, and up to now, the previous earlies have been a low yield, mainly because of the dry weather, but plenty for the two of us.

The last row of 'Lady Christl' had been severely taken by slugs, so I'm wonderering if it might be better to bring the whole lot out now, and put them away in the dark and the dry.

It seems that slugs will be going for anything with the slightest moisture, as the soil is very dry, and presumably they don't think much of that...

Any views anyone?

Both have finished donkeys years ago, that's why you have a lot of damage in them. They are decaying.

Earlies are earlies. They go in around March/April and are harvested from June. (Or May if it's me )

[Growster...]

Thanks Gobs, you've said what Mrs G mentioned last evening, in that we probably sowed too many!

[TheWhiteRabbit]

you've said what Mrs G mentioned last evening, in that we probably sowed too many

It's easily done!! 

[Mrs Bee]

I've harvested Charlottes until the following March so they can stand if need be.

That is very useful to know.

[Salmo]

I've harvested Charlottes until the following March so they can stand if need be.

That is very useful to know.

Unless they are deep under the soil, covered with straw, or the Winter is very mild, they will be frosted. I have dug overwintered potatoes but they do not taste good and are a bit watery.

Better to lift and store.