Baz wrote:
I have been digging over last years potato plot over the last couple of
days and have dug out loads of ones I missed. The ones I didn't put the
fork through are in very good condition, which makes me think that
considering the harsh winter we have all had, why dig them up in the first
place at harvest time? Why not leave them until needed? Yes I put the fork
through some, but with more care it would not be so.

I think it depends on the variety. I have just dug over 2 beds of potatoes
that we just didn't have time to harvest last year. It was very sad. The
first bed 90% of them had turned to slimey mush. And they were the ones
that were HUGE (the few that we dug up last year, meal by meal)
The other bed was better, mostly fine, but with some slug damage to a fair
few.

I think the idea of taking them out means you can protect them from pests,
reduce the risk of blight, and if your variety isn't frost resistant (like
my huge ones seem not to have been - annoyed I can't remember the variety!)
stop them turning gooey.

It's all very well leaving them till later in the year before digging, too,
but if you don't get a sunny day to dry them out, they're not going to store
well at all.