Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

"Jane" wrote in message
...
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I
don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.


Well I wouldn't quite say rubbish, but on the disappointing side. Nearly all
ours finished and browned off several weeks ago, in the drought I couldn't
get enough water into them, despite some of the rows having perforated pipe
buried along with the seed potatoes. Marfona weren't too bad, but they're
the first earlies, so the drought hadn't really taken hold then. Even so,
the quantity was less than previous years. Next were Kestrel, and they were
smaller and fewer than expected. I'm about to start harvesting King Edwards,
so I don't know yet, but I'm not too hopeful. Only the Pink fir apple are
still going.

But maybe you had different conditions to us, we're just outside
Bournemouth, whereabouts are you?

Steve

"shazzbat" wrote ...

Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year?

Well I wouldn't quite say rubbish, but on the disappointing side.
But maybe you had different conditions to us, we're just outside
Bournemouth, whereabouts are you?

I'm in Bolton. Like everyone, we had hot and dry weather in July, with
August cool and damp and not much sun. My spuds are grown in the ground on
the allotment, and in plastic potato bags - International Kidney, Pink Fir
Apple, and Sante; all have been disappointing. Like you, I'm leaving the
pink fir apple in the hope of a better late crop.

In article , shazzbat
writes

Well I wouldn't quite say rubbish, but on the disappointing side. Nearly all
ours finished and browned off several weeks ago, in the drought I couldn't
get enough water into them, despite some of the rows having perforated pipe
buried along with the seed potatoes. Marfona weren't too bad, but they're
the first earlies, so the drought hadn't really taken hold then.

I've only dug up the Charlottes at the moment but had so many that
haven't got round to rest of crop
Not big but then that doesn't really matter. Had very little water as it
was so difficult to use watering can enough.

Mind you carrots were good as is/was parsnips but runner beans and
French beans rubbish ..
Janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Jane" wrote in message
...
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I
don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

Some of mine have been respecatble, others disappointing - those were the
ones in small containers of various kinds and probably too crowded.

The ones in the open garden are still going strong, so well that I haven't
tried to harvest them.

But I don't know when to harvest potatoes unless the foliage dies down!

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"Jane" wrote in message
...
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I
don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

Some of mine have been respecatble, others disappointing - those were the
ones in small containers of various kinds and probably too crowded.

The ones in the open garden are still going strong, so well that I haven't
tried to harvest them.

But I don't know when to harvest potatoes unless the foliage dies down!


When you're hungry!

Or just take one haulm and see what you get. If you're happy, harvest them
as you need them, if not, let them wait.

Steve

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

But I don't know when to harvest potatoes unless the foliage dies down!


When you're hungry!

Or just take one haulm and see what you get. If you're happy, harvest them
as you need them, if not, let them wait.

That's more or less what I've done, we've been eating a lot of rice, pasta,
bread oin various forms, batters in various forms, pastries in various
forms, cous cous, bulgur, quinoa, sweet potatoes etc ... makes for a varied
menu!

Mary

"Jane" wrote
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I
don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.


It's our first year on a new allotment, new to us that is.
We dug up our Second Early "Kestral" harvest a few weeks ago and it was
excellent such that we immediately gave away two of the three sacks we
filled as surplus to requirements. Today we dug up one of our Maincrop
"Spey" and that too was extremely good with nice large clean tubers.
So far it's the best potato crop we have ever had by some margin!
Tomorrow I'll dig up the "Romano" but the "Sarpo Axona" will have to wait as
they are still growing and flowering.
Considering we are in a dry spot in the dry part of the country I'm amazed.
Must have been the fact that the ground has lain fallow for 10+ years and we
put on a good thick 4 inch layer of well rotted horse manure and dug it in,
only the plants on the edge have received water from us by can but there is
no difference along the rows.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:


"Jane" wrote
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I
don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.


It's our first year on a new allotment, new to us that is.
We dug up our Second Early "Kestral" harvest a few weeks ago and it was
excellent such that we immediately gave away two of the three sacks we
filled as surplus to requirements. Today we dug up one of our Maincrop
"Spey" and that too was extremely good with nice large clean tubers.
So far it's the best potato crop we have ever had by some margin!
Tomorrow I'll dig up the "Romano" but the "Sarpo Axona" will have to
wait as
they are still growing and flowering.
Considering we are in a dry spot in the dry part of the country I'm amazed.
Must have been the fact that the ground has lain fallow for 10+ years
and we
put on a good thick 4 inch layer of well rotted horse manure and dug it in,
only the plants on the edge have received water from us by can but there is
no difference along the rows.

I too have had my best crop of potatoes ever. I'm still digging huge
Winston. Valor are just now going brown; I haven't checked them for
yield yet. Sarpo Mira and Sarpo Axona still going strong. I assume they
must all have got a good amount of water before dry July set in. I've
not done any watering.

Janet G

Jane wrote:
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

Our main crop desirees were tiny comapred to last year (our first
year).
Last year we gout 4-8 huge shiny spuds per plant; this year they are
only the size of big tomatoes. Very cold May and very dry July here.

Des in Dublin

Jane wrote:
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

I have an "accidental" potato crop - seedlings from the compost heap
which have fully developped. I haven't checked the resulting harvest -
which did not get any form of care from me... but you have me curious
now, I'll have to go check.
I also have a tiny accidental tomato crop - still green - also from
compost heap seedlings. I plucked the least vigorous looking as weeds,
and left the nicer ones develop. I reckon I should get at least 500
grs :-) The main, planned, crop of tomatoes is taking its time to turn
red...

Cat(h)

Cat(h) wrote:
Jane wrote:
Anyone else noticed that their potato harvest is rubbish this year? I don't
have many spuds and what I do have are small.

I have an "accidental" potato crop - seedlings from the compost heap
which have fully developped. I haven't checked the resulting harvest -
which did not get any form of care from me... but you have me curious
now, I'll have to go check.
I also have a tiny accidental tomato crop - still green - also from
compost heap seedlings. I plucked the least vigorous looking as weeds,
and left the nicer ones develop. I reckon I should get at least 500
grs :-) The main, planned, crop of tomatoes is taking its time to turn
red...

Get a greenhouse; we are swimming in the things. They went red (and
orange) starting in mid July. We grew too many; good complaint
strictly speaking.

I will try a super marmande next year on your recommendation.

Des



Cat(h)

On 1/9/06 13:57, in article
,
" wrote:

snip

I will try a super marmande next year on your recommendation.

I hope you don't share our experience with those! We grow them between
Jersey Sunrise and a plum variety. The birds love them and seem to leave
the others almost entirely alone, so I suggested to Ray that we grow them
again next year as a sort of sacrificial anode. The look on his face spoke
volumes!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Sacha wrote:
On 1/9/06 13:57, in article
,
" wrote:

snip

I will try a super marmande next year on your recommendation.

I hope you don't share our experience with those! We grow them between
Jersey Sunrise and a plum variety. The birds love them and seem to leave
the others almost entirely alone, so I suggested to Ray that we grow them
again next year as a sort of sacrificial anode. The look on his face spoke
volumes!

Do you grow them outdoors? Lucky you if you do.
We have to use a greenhouse here which will help keep birds away.
I say help as we have had magpies inside several times (make a right
mess and chop plants up like vandals) and a thrush.

We grew Sungold and Ailsa Craig and are very happy with both.

Des

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 1/9/06 15:28, in article
,
" wrote:


Sacha wrote:
On 1/9/06 13:57, in article
,
" wrote:

snip

I will try a super marmande next year on your recommendation.

I hope you don't share our experience with those! We grow them between
Jersey Sunrise and a plum variety. The birds love them and seem to leave
the others almost entirely alone, so I suggested to Ray that we grow them
again next year as a sort of sacrificial anode. The look on his face spoke
volumes!

Do you grow them outdoors? Lucky you if you do.
We have to use a greenhouse here which will help keep birds away.
I say help as we have had magpies inside several times (make a right
mess and chop plants up like vandals) and a thrush.

We grew Sungold and Ailsa Craig and are very happy with both.

Des


No, we grow them in the greenhouse, in growbags. We actively encourage
birds into the greenhouses, hanging up lots of bird feeders for them putting
out trays of crumbs etc. They reward us by helping the biological control
bugs and eating the bugs we don't want. Is that called symbiosis? ;-)
They sometimes nick the odd strawberry off plants for sale and they really
*love* tomatoes, so it seems worth working on the lawn seeding principle but
with a couple of tomato plants!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/