Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Too late to plant my "early" potatoes ???

Jo45Jo45 Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg

I haven't grown potatoes before and bought some seed potatoes .. rocket and pentland javelin .. when recommended by Monty. I put them to chit but they haven't changed much so I kept waiting!! Now I've realised they should have been planted in mid March. Is it worth planting them now or would I be wasting compost and effort. I only have a few. Maybe I should just try again next year? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Posts

  • Lupin 1Lupin 1 Posts: 8,916

    Hi Jo45 1st earlies like Rocket & Pentland Javelin aren't always chitted, I'd plant them now, don't waste them and in 10 - 12 weeks you should have spuds image   

    I planted my 1st earlies in sacks in mid- March and I'm now having to fleece them to protect the tops from late frost image

    Please tell what sort of crop you get image

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    I agree with KEF. Get them in, you've nothing to lose.

    By the time the break the surface, ( in most areas) you'll have missed the late frosts.

    Devon.
  • Jo45Jo45 Posts: 2

    Hey thanks! That's great .. I'll put them in tomorrow. I have got much bed space .. do you think they'll be okay in large pots .. or am I better to try and get them in the ground?

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    I've got my first earlies in 100l compost bags in my polytunnel, and I know it's a squeeze, but I didn't have enough bags back then, so I've got 3 in each. Planted them in 4 inch of compost and have topped them up as they've grown.

    Devon.
  • Mel MMel M Posts: 347

    I have planted potatoes later than recommended and they grew well. Just cropped later. I now grow my potatoes (new season only) in potato bags. This is more expensive due to purchasing compost but it frees up land and the potatoes come out lovely and clean. Sometimes.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    I've just remembered that I didn't plant my spuds until the middle of May 2 years ago because the ground was too wet to rotovate. Had a great crop.

    Devon.
  • Lupin 1Lupin 1 Posts: 8,916

    You can always re-use the compost from the bags, enrich it and plant carrots, late planting less chance of root fly image

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    I'm happy to be wrong but couldn't 1st/2nd earlies be planted up to July/August providing the spuds are ok. Spuds kept for a while do start to shrivel up and go past their best, however for a Christmas crop spuds are planted in July/August in bags and the foilage dies back following the first frost, well before Christmas, but they usually keep if left in the compost.

    In theory 1st/2nd earlies planted 12 weeks before the first frost should produce a crop. I ate the last of the earlies in December, cropped in July/August last yr.

    You aren't wasting your time jo45, go ahead and plantimage.

    Zoomers thinking she might go and get more 1st earlies to plant for a late crop. What are other posters viewsimage.

Sign In or Register to comment.