[JohnB47]

Lifted my first lot of Maris Bard today. Fairly low yield (I think). Just 1lb 3oz from two plants (ignoring anything smaller than a small egg). Not too worried about that but when cooked the flavour was not exceptional. Nice creamy texture but practically tasteless.

Luckily I planted only 6 of them and have a few other first and second early varieties coming along.

Anyone had success with this variety?

[PennyS]

Mine are still in the ground, unharvested as yet. 

Planted at the same time as Pentland Javelin (and I've just had a first harvest of those, although they are still small).  When I furtled this weekend I couldn't find anything to speak of with the Maris Bard so I'm leaving them a couple of weeks.  I planted both towards end of March.

Maybe they just take a bit longer?

[kingdhesiii]

I would have thought that 1st early spuds will still be 3-4 weeks away from been rdy.

[DavidT]

How long have they been in John?

[nilsatis1964]

I have harvested 2 plants of Swift which went in 19th March they have yielded a grand weight of 1 and a half pounds.  They do taste nice but 2 seed spuds for that little yield.  I have more in the ground and I may leave them for another week or so.

[Yorkie]

I think you're being too impatient - we've had a very harsh late winter and they've not been in the ground 12 weeks.  Give them another week or three and there should be more for you to eat.

[Iain@JBA]

We have a freak year and this has led to late growth of everything.
Forget the number of weeks from when you planted them and go by eye I would say.
Watch for the potato leaves turning a paler shade of green and you can then start to have a furtle at what is below.

[solway cropper]

I start a few bags off in the greenhouse and I've so far harvested about 18 pounds of epicure and dunluce. I'm always impatient to get that first new potato taste and the first plants averaged just over half a pound per seed. Ten days later it's almost a pound and a half per seed. Leave em in a bit longer and you'll be amazed how they bulk up. Try epicure if you want that lovely earthy taste (available from JBA)

[JohnB47]

Thanks everyone.

DavidT - I put mine down early - mid March, so I'm probably going by their theoretic 'ready by' time. I had a furtle and found two good sized ones at the top so thought I'd go ahead. Nothing lost perhaps but they did lack any real flavour. If I left them would the flavour improve? Perhaps impossible to answer. I'll leave them and let you know.

Cheers all . It's raining here - horrah!

[bigben]

I have about 10 big pots of spuds on my path that went in about late March, I noticed the foliage on one of them starting to look a bit yellow so thought I would lift them. They were tiny - I am giving the rest at least another 3-4 weeks.

[Cheshire Phill]

My Swift (and others, Rocket and Orla) went in March 21st, and theres not any sign of them flowering yet...so I don't expect much in the way of tubers anytime yet!!

Its grim oop north!

Phill 

[RichardA]

my father always tried to have the first new potatoes and new sweet peas by my mums birthday (11th June). Location was North Lincolnshire. He rarely achieved it to any great degree and certainly this would not have been a year that he could have done it.
Even mine in the polytunnel would not give any great yield now so I am not going to take them wastefully. Especially as we still have about 3 kilos left out of the 6 bags or so of last years potatoes still keeping OK in the shed. I will give it another couple of weeks I think.
R

[goodegg]

my 1st earlies were arran pilot planted 15/1/10 and they cropped very well average 2lb per plant and really tasty i watered them twice as it was so dry i think thats a very good crop for earlies now started 2nd earlies kestrels not so good crop but only digging one plant now and then to eat , now exitement is over

[iggyboy]

blimey cant believe I'm reading half of these comments! My earlies are only just in flower and there's no way I'm taking mine out for at least anothe 3 weeks. I am in the north though,suppose that makes a difference

[Aidy]

My Lady xstal are tops, lifted a few PJ's and they are as good as ever, there were a few that had split.
These have baffled me as we have had less than 5 inches of rain since Feb1st, but a good crop is being lifted.