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Potatoes
DiSteve
Posts: 33
in Fruit & veg
I'm new to vegetable growing. I was given potatoes to plant by an allotment neighbour in August. They were growing beautifully, flowers appeared then suddenly they looked unwell. All the flowers have gone and practically no foliage left.
Variety: Hungarian Reds (apparently blight free)
Should I dig them up? Some people have advised this, some have advised leave them in the ground. I did dig one plant up, to which there were about 8 - 10 slightly bigger than new potatoes.
The person that gave them to me said we would have spuds for christmas, which I was really excited about....... If we dig them up, how do I store them and how long will they keep?
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I'd say to get spuds for Christmas, they'd need some protection, polytunnel, greenhouse.
It sounds like they've been hit by the cold .
thank you for that Hostafan1 however I live in the south and the weather has been remarkably warm so far, so not sure that is the problem.
night time frosts ?
Friends in Hants/ Surrey have had them
Indeed so. It's usual to plant at Easter or thereabouts and harvest in mid- to late summer. They're sub-tropical originally and will be killed by frost, so they'll certainly need protection if you want them to keep growing till Christmas,
Depending on how big the plants are, how they're laid out and whether or not your area is particularly susceptible to frost, you could make do with a makeshift cold frame. Cover them with some old windows, securely supported on something the right height. Or buy a purpose-built cloche or similar.
Come to think of it, they probably won't grow much now anyway, so you might harvest them. Lay them out somewhere to dry (in August they're left in the sun!) for a few days then store them in paper sacks (cadged from the greengrocer) in the dark and cool.
The standard way to get fresh new potatoes for Christmas is to plant in a greenhouse in August/September.
How to do it info here http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/planting/how-to-grow-potatoes-for-christmas/131.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That looks like a good method
DiSteve, August is late to plant spuds we have King Edwards for Christmas Day, they were planted Easter, dug up August. Quite a good crop, but spuds not as large as last years, Also in the South, (near the South Downs, 10 minutes from Sea) frost warning tonight. At the beginning of Oct, Hubby driving to work down A22 said there was a frost 13 miles from here, we ve had overnight temp of 13d through November.