On Thu, 19 May 2005 17:10:17 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote:

The message 1116488094.91436b827674e069b06fef3141fe873a@teran ews
from Tim Challenger contains these words:

I've got Mimi, Nichola and Desiree growing well.
I've grown main crops before and I have them sussed: when the greenery has
dies back.

Waaaaaah...you didn't enjoy some yummy little new potatoes from your
maincrops?

No, It never occurred to me. :-(

The question is, when are first and second earlies ready to lift?
All I can gather is "after the flowers have faded". How long after? Do I
lift the 1st earlies then and just lift the seconds when I've eaten them ?
Any other indicators?

...
Or, use a loose mulch over the soil surface, so that tubers form
just under the soil surface (but still in the dark from the mulch).
...

Would horse-stable manure/straw be any good? Probably to strong.
Well-rotted would be ok? I'll be trying to get some for the autumn anyway,
so I could get extra and let it mature over winter for next year?


By growing a succession of first , 2nd, maincrop etc, all you're
really doing is slightly prolonging the availability of gourmet
potatoes to eat freshly lifted, from midsummer day onward. You can't buy
potatoes which have that flavour and texture, so don't miss out on the
baby and young fresh ones from each crop.

Exactly, spuds are moderately priced around here, but it's that freshness
I'm after.

First and 2nd earlies, left in the ground and harvested after the
leaves die off, produce full size spuds which can be stored all winter,
just like "maincrop" varieties.

:-)
Thanks for the tips! I've only been planting potatoes for a couple of years
- any old variety that I can get here, and I have just realised how
ignorant I am.

--
Tim C.