On Sun, 8 Jun 2003 23:42:57 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

~The message
~from (jane) contains these words:
~
~ Another spud problem here - more of a quandary.
~
~ I've been growing International Kidney (aka Jerseys) and they are
~ described by T&M as Second Earlies. Every other seed supplier I looked at
~ said they were First Earlies.
~
~ Who should I believe and should I therefore dig when they flower or when
~ the foliage dies down?
~
~ All potatoes do the same; by the time they flower, tubers are forming.
~By the time the leaves die back, the whole crop is ready for lifting.
~Whether your crop is a first or second early depends more on when you
~planted it in relation to when you pick it, than it's name :-)
~
~ The trick is to get the best of both worlds; enjoy some of the crop as
~little new potatoes and leave some to mature (making lots of bigger
~potatoes).The taste of new baby potatoes freshly lifted from the garden
~is divine, unlike anything you can buy in a shop; I've described in
~another thread how best to harvest them. Just wash them gently under the
~tap, don't peel them; boil or steam less than 10 mins until just tender;
~drain and toss very gently with good butter and salt.

mmm yes, it was reading that which made me ask when I could dig mine!

Thanks to all of you who replied - it looks like I start digging a
plant or two (I've only got 20) when they are in flower and work it
from there :-)

Bob, I too keep a diary of what got planted when, which is on the web
should anyone google for allotment diary ! (not putting url up cos of
those nasty spambots). Mostly a catalogue of my learning curves and
disasters, with photos and a few links. It's a bit bare bones, but if
anyone finds it useful, do let me know!



--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!