[Grubbypaws]

I am hoping to plant some potatoes in pots after my first earlies have been harvested. As I will struggle to get the varieties that I want at that time of year I was hoping to store some of the potatoes that I have just bought (Vivaldi and Yukon Gold).

Does anyone know if that is possible and how I should go about it? I was thinking of putting them in a cardboard box and putting them in the fridge. Will this work? 

[Aidy]

1st. Are you planting the earlies in the same pots as the mains will be grown or growing them else where?

2nd. Main crop spuds need a much longer growing time, I would guess planting mid June would not give them sufficient time to mature, also how big are the pots?

[DD.]

I had a typed out a reply pretty much the same as Aidy's especially with respect to the growing time!

[Grubbypaws]

I am intending to use the same airpots that have grown Lady C. The idea came from

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=593

They say to  'Use cold-stored potato tubers, available from specialist seed merchants in July' but I was wondering if I could do this myself with some of my extras that I havent had space for. Vivaldi is a second early that it good as a new potato so I hoped that it would work.

They are wrapped in paper in a box in the fridge at the moment awaiting your advice which is probably that I have lost the plot completely 

[mumofstig]

ah the old potatoes for Christmas routine   

[Grubbypaws]

So MumofS does that mean that it doesn't work? This is only the second year that I have grown potatoes so I am still a complete novice. Any help from those much wiser than me will be gratefully accepted 

[mumofstig]

I can only say that it hasn't worked for many of the people that tried it.

Here's an old thread http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=79674.msg894940#msg894940

there are loads more if you search 

[Salmo]

It works if you can avoid blight and frost.

[arugula]

It works if you can avoid blight and frost.

and they actually germinate.

[Grubbypaws]

OK plan B 

I could extend my growing season by planting my extra vivaldi in late May as per the growing instructions but this still means that I have to store them until then. They are wrapped in paper in the fridge. Is this the correct way to store them?

[Yorkie]

They should be fine in the fridge so long as it doesn't drop to freezing in the baskets.

[chriscross1966]

Why not just sow up the normal progression of spuds in something else?... ie have a few pots of firsts, some seconds, early mains late mains....it does seem such a faff when there are perfectly sound methods to avoid it.... unless you're desperate for Vivaldi's as new potatoes or else have no room I guess....

[A Reyt Tayty]

Last year, I was given some nicely chitted Desiree in June. I had some raised beds which I had not planned to use till next year, but planted them anyway. I got a rathe decent crop in mid October.

While we're talking tayties, I've had some chitting away for a few weeks. They set off nicely but now seem to have ground to a halt. They are in the house in an unheated bedroom. Nice and light, but not direct sun. Any clues?

[JayG]

As long as each spud has some chits and they are short, sturdy, and green/purple that's fine - it can take months before all the eyes chit equally, by which time the tuber will be but a shadow of its former self (although still plantable!)

[Grubbypaws]

Last year, I was given some nicely chitted Desiree in June. I had some raised beds which I had not planned to use till next year, but planted them anyway. I got a rathe decent crop in mid October

That is exactly what I was hoping to acheive. Thank you, I will definately give it a go now 

Why not just sow up the normal progression of spuds in something else?... ie have a few pots of firsts, some seconds, early mains late mains....it does seem such a faff when there are perfectly sound methods to avoid it.... unless you're desperate for Vivaldi's as new potatoes or else have no room I guess....

I have done exactly the same (ladyC, Vivaldi and Yukon Gold).  I was just trying to think of ways to have spuds for longer