Grow your own potatoes - Harvest day tomorrow

[Kiddleywinks]

Ooh, just been checking my GYO info sheet, thinking it must be nearly time to see what we've got as my tops have started keeling over, and it's harvest day tomorrow!

Can't wait to tell the LO's - they're gonna be so excited!

Better empty the tuff tray so they can empty the gro bag on there lol

[bunyip]

:clapping: Looking forward to it.

Btw, if anyone planted late and is unsure, the first tubers are usually ready once the tops have produced at least some sort of flower buds. If you want them larger, keep watering and wait a few weeks longer - though this may not fit the GYOP project timetable. If you want to check, you can feel inside the compost for tubers. Do look out for ants before letting the tinies loose; ant colonies occasionally move into pots/growing bags and can give an unpleasant surprise. :p

Have already harvested some of my own winter plantings and I've another dozen rows coming along nicely on the allotment. :thumbsup:

But how do I stop Mts B coming home with bags of tasteless spuds from the shops when we have lovely ones here that can be in the pan within minutes of being lifted? :huh:

[amyp]

My have just flowered! It's my Tuesday after school job! Although I'm possibly more excited than the kids!! One bag hasn't flowered yet so I won't pick them for another couple of weeks x

[Maza]

Mine didn't flower but the leaves started to die so I harvested them on Friday. Got some beautiful ones - they will be okay won't they?

[amyp]

I would imagine they would be fine! Mine have gone floppy but I think it's lack of water!! I must remember to water them!!!

[hectors house]

Thanks for the advice, we planted ours very late as I must admit I forgot about them as I was getting ready for my holiday, when we got back the potatoes had massive shoots on and had gone quite soft - so I'm not expecting much, although they have grown but no flowers yet.

Happy Harvesting to every one :)

[Kiddleywinks]

Ours didn't flower so well this year, last year we had some beautiful big purple flowers.

I think it's when the leaves start dying off they're ready for harvesting, so you'll be fine Hector :thumbsup:

[bunyip]

Mine didn't flower but the leaves started to die so I harvested them on Friday. Got some beautiful ones - they will be okay won't they?

They'll be fine - just avoid the green ones if any have emerged at the surface and caught the sunlight.

The leaves shouldn't die back in they've enough water or we get to autumn and the cold sets in. There are a few pests/diseases that would cause die-back, but it's probably too early in the year for most of these; and they're unlikely in plants grown in containers as opposed to those grown in open soil.

In terms of eating quality, it's fairly simple: if they look good enough to eat, they probably are. If the tubers are green, black, mushy, or riddled with holes from slugs or eelworm, then I'd think twice.

I move my pots under cover or into the greenhouse if there's space a few days before harvesting. This allows the compost to dry out and not get rained on, as it's less messy to pull out the tubers from dry compost - especially with the children. :thumbsup:

[Kiddleywinks]

Well, sack 1 yielded 747grams of spuds

There were loads that were only thumbnail size - tasted nice with a bit of butter though lol