[julietmaria]

I just dug up a row (4 plants) of my ulster classic first early potatoes and have had a really disappointing crop.  I had 1 or 2 potatoes per plant?   I planted them in early March and covered them in fleece until late April.   Really not sure why the crop was so bad - any ideas?   This is a new bed which was previously grass and weeds so could this be the problem?   They were planted at least a foot apart each way.   I am so dissapointed.  I still have a couple of these plants left in the next row and then have some shetland black which I have not dug up yet.   Could it have been that I dug them too early?  Although it was not like there were loads of tiny potatoes on the roots.  Just one root with maybe a few small tiny potatoes.   

Hope someone can enlighten me. 
thank you, Juliet

[Hampshire Hog]

Juliet I think you answered your question.
A bit early I think as the weather has been too cold.
Suggest in future you check the spuds are adequate size before digging up whole plant.
One trick I have heard is to take one or two spuds from a plant and leave the rest to grow on. That way you  haven't lost the plant.
Hope the weather improves and your remaining spuds are ok

Cheers HH

[mumofstig]

there have been several posts about this over the last few weeks. here's one
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=95523.msg1061656#msg1061656

it seems that the weather hasn't helped  

[A Reyt Tayty]

Yup. My Maris Bard are pants. I'm just going to leave 'em for a few more weeks. It looks like it's going to take them as long as a main crop.

[Abbeyview]

You are not alone have a look at    Growing / Grow Your Own / Re: harvesting potatoes 
 
My rocket were very dissapointing at 11 weeks 4 or 5 per root too small to sensibly  use
however after 13 weeks which included 2.5 inches of rain they are much improved in size and quantity per root, some need cutting into 4 prior to cooking, Just a little patience was needed on my part.

[allot2learn]

Although I have had a dozen off my Marfona 2nd earlies, I reckon we're about 4 weeks behind this year. Patience......................

[tangojulie]

I was chatting to a market stallholder today and he said that his potato supplier reckoned to be a month behind.

[Abbeyview]

Our local chip shop is using new potatoes which means someone somewhere has plenty of new pots to sell cheap I think.

[Paul Plots]

Our local chip shop is using new potatoes which means someone somewhere has plenty of new pots to sell cheap I think.

Under-cover maybe or imported?

"We've" been buying new potatoes and they are pretty tasteless to be honest.
Patience....although I am beginning to get itchy fingers for a little furtle which is unusual for me as I normally refuse point blank to go anywhere near them until everyone else on our site has started digging theirs.

I'll try to hold out for another 2 weeks. 

[mumofstig]

The trouble is I have a backlog of stuff waiting to go in their space 

How can you plan when the weather puts a spanner in the works 

[julietmaria]

Thanks for all replies - and yes I need the space urgently.  I will leave the other rows for a while, but at least I have a tiny bit of much needed space for leeks and sprouts.
 

[Paul Plots]

The trouble is I have a backlog of stuff waiting to go in their space 

How can you plan when the weather puts a spanner in the works 

Plan?

Oh yes, plan. My plan develops as I go along so I guess that's why every year I want more space. 

[Ivor Backache]

The question is did you water your potatoes? Not everybody does.
During the hot days in late March and April, the plants are producing the underground stems (stolens) which swell to produce the potato. The rain we have just had is too late.
I grow earlies in pots to free up space and deal with frost. During the dry spell I was watering every evening (tin can per pot) I now  average 2lb of rocket  per pot, and all a good size.  I also gave them a mid term feed of growmore.
My 2nd earlies are in the allotment and also I also watered those.I plunge the hose pipe into the ground between each plant and count upto 5. I don't water the leaves (blight issue) and all the water goes to the roots.
To deal with the backlog you may be able to part the folliage, peg it back and and plant between the rows.

[Paul Plots]

The question is did you water your potatoes? Not everybody does.
During the hot days in late March and April, the plants are producing the underground stems (stolens) which swell to produce the potato. The rain we have just had is too late.
I grow earlies in pots to free up space and deal with frost. During the dry spell I was watering every evening (tin can per pot) I now  average 2lb of rocket  per pot, and all a good size.  I also gave them a mid term feed of growmore.
My 2nd earlies are in the allotment and also I also watered those.I plunge the hose pipe into the ground between each plant and count upto 5. I don't water the leaves (blight issue) and all the water goes to the roots.
To deal with the backlog you may be able to part the folliage, peg it back and and plant between the rows.

I hardly ever water potatoes - too many grown so I'd empty the Southdowns aquifers of our drinking water but I do mulch. Mine have been sitting soggy since they first went in as the ground was damp then.

Not sure what the crop will be like but the foliage is not as vigorous as this time last year - temperatures responsible I guess.

[m1ckz]

im getting 18 per root   nice size too,,,pentland javelin