Hi,

Earlier this year I chitted and set a mixture of First Early, Second Early and Main Crop potatoes. I made a pencil sketch of the bed in which I planted them, marking on it what each row was. Unfortunately, my partner went on a spring cleaning mission and threw away everything that wasn't bolted down including my sketch. Is there anyway of distinguishing the different types of plants? I planted Desiree, Wilja, King Edwards, Duke of York & Estima. One of the rows is much bigger than the rest and another has started to flower. Does that give any clues? Can I assume that the flowing row is a first early? Some of the really big plants are inclined to collapse, is this normal?

Thanks

Ashley

"Ashley Argile" wrote in message
...

Hi,

Earlier this year I chitted and set a mixture of First Early, Second
Early and Main Crop potatoes. I made a pencil sketch of the bed in
which I planted them, marking on it what each row was. Unfortunately,
my partner went on a spring cleaning mission and threw away everything
that wasn't bolted down including my sketch. Is there anyway of
distinguishing the different types of plants? I planted Desiree, Wilja,
King Edwards, Duke of York & Estima. One of the rows is much bigger than
the rest and another has started to flower. Does that give any clues?
Can I assume that the flowing row is a first early? Some of the really
big plants are inclined to collapse, is this normal?

Thanks

Ashley

Search by variety here and it may help with the flower colour etc.
http://varieties.potato.org.uk/quick_search.php
Duke of York and Wilja are earlies and the plants will start to die back
when the potato has done it's bit, so to speak. Collapsing sounds more like
the wind has blown them over unless they show signs of disease but you
didn't mention any so hopefully that is not the case. Earlies take
approximately 3 months to be ready from planting while maincrops can be more
than 4 months. You can always try one and see if it's ready.

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:17:48 +0100, Ashley Argile
wrote:


Hi,

Earlier this year I chitted and set a mixture of First Early, Second
Early and Main Crop potatoes. I made a pencil sketch of the bed in
which I planted them, marking on it what each row was. Unfortunately,
my partner went on a spring cleaning mission and threw away everything
that wasn't bolted down including my sketch. Is there anyway of
distinguishing the different types of plants? I planted Desiree, Wilja,
King Edwards, Duke of York & Estima. One of the rows is much bigger than
the rest and another has started to flower. Does that give any clues?
Can I assume that the flowing row is a first early? Some of the really
big plants are inclined to collapse, is this normal?

Thanks

Ashley

Well, Desiree have a light red skin. King Edwards have pink patches
on an ordinary coloured skin.
I've grown Red Duke of York but not the basic one, so can't comment on
that one.
I always take off the flowers as "they" say that once you let them set
fruit, which are the poisonous, tomato-like fruits which form, then
they will stop producing tubers underground.
I would guess that the first to flower are the earliest, but I'm no
potato expert.

Pam in Bristol

Thanks for the responses. I'll be using my powers of deducton and logic to figure out what is what!

Ashley