[GrannieAnnie]

I know I didn't plant my earlies until April 8th, because of the weather and other things, so they've only been in 8 weeks, but today I was digging where one hadn't come through at all, then thought, I just got to dig one up and have a look.  they are a nice size, but there are only 6 potatoes on one plant.  Would it have grown more, if I'd left it in, or do the baby potatoes all appear at the same time???

Sounds a daft question I know, but.......?

[crowndale]

No idea really but I went to take a look at mine yesterday (planted 10.04.07) and couldn't see any sign of tubers so I'll be leaving them another couple of weeks.

[Beetybops]

Ours went in back in March and we've been digging them for a couple of weeks now.  They are all a good size, but only 7 or 8 per plant with no sign of any baby ones developing.  I know that's not much help.....but at least it's not only happening to you!  The variety we're digging is Charlotte....not sure if that makes any difference to how many you would expect per plant or not!

[jane1264]

We dug up some of our maris pipers at the weekend 'cos the tops had died back and gone all gungy.  Thought we'd dig up the tubers in case they had some nasty horrible bug.  There weren't many tubers but they looked good and tasted ok (and we haven't all gone down with some horrible bug yet!).  Don't know what was wrong with the tops but all the rest seem ok - I think we planted some that weren't seed potatoes 'cos they were in the cupboard sprouting it might have been them.

Jane

[Trillium]

It really doesn't matter much if you plant specific seed potatoes or older sprouting potatoes, they'll both grow. But it sounds like yours might have contacted blight, which will affect all potatoes plants, seed or otherwise. Hopefully you burned your tops. Caught soon enough, the potatoes themselves are edible.

As for baby potatoes, those are simply the new ones needing more time to grow. If there are none, or they're all the same size, then there's no more to come from that plant.    

[Aidy]

Dug my swift up last monday, good size spuds but around 6-9 per plant, not sure if this is down to the dry weather and they have concentrated on a few tubers, I have never grown swift before so didnt know what to expect but my rocket which I know well should be ready at the end of the month so I will compare them.

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks for that everyone.  The spuds were lovely, and 5 of them were  decent size, with one slightly smaller, so I roasted a couple of old ones to make them go further!!!

Trying not to dig anymore up until the end of the month now!!!

[Aunt Sally]

We've just had our first meal of first earlies - Arran Pilot.  Plot to pot in 20 mins.  Lashings of butter... They were fabulous. Waxy sweet and flavoursome  

[richyrich7]

Well I'm scratching my head this year my earlies are still pretty small looking about 8-12" tall no flowers and my main crop are about 18" tall with flowers  :?  starting to think I've got the labels mixed up   :shock:

[ness]

Been pondering these same questions!  Have been trying to not to harvest too many earlies but the anticipation was too much!  But we have had only a few (although lovely) from each plant. Would we have more
My mains are also huge compared with my earlies, richyrich.  When should you harvest the mains?

[WG.]

My mains are also huge compared with my earlies, richyrich.  When should you harvest the mains?

When the haulm dies back - probably around Sept / Oct.  Depends where you are (your Profile doesn't say)

[slowcompost]

Mine are the same richy, Early's hardly any tops , main crops much healthier looking. also got some something thats eating holes in the leaves, only on the early's.
Might try lifting them in a day or 2.

[ness]

I'm in sunny Devon, and have now updated my profile.  Does that mean I can harvest me mains earlier?

[richyrich7]

I'm in sunny Devon, and have now updated my profile.  Does that mean I can harvest me mains earlier?

  With mains it's usual to let the haulms start dying before harvesting like whiskey says, being in sunny devon will probably help you harvest earlier, but all depends on when you planted 'em, I can't remember the average time from planting to cropping with main crop any takers for an answer?

[WG.]

The haulm might die back earlier in Devon - 22 weeks after planting is usual.  If you harvest before then you are sacrificing yield and flavour (maincrop potatoes develop best flavour after being grown to maturity & then spending several weeks in storage - it is called setting or curing)

Regarding haulm sizes - remember earlies have usually got much smaller foliage than main-crop