I'm about to try growing potatoes and have never tried before! Please would someone tell me what the difference is between earlies, 2nd earlies etc and when it says plant in Spring...which part of Spring?? Sorry to sound so hopeless!
Like boleybegbarna, I too, plant my potatoes on St. Patricks Day, only because after a day's hard slog, you feel like you need that pint of Guiness just to replace lost nutrients. This year they'll be growing beside the Scallions!! Went to the annual Potato Fair in Crawfordsburn, Co. Down, on 22nd Feb. to buy seed potatoes....hundreds to chose from, inc. heritage varities. POTATO HEAVEN!!! This year I'am planting Epicure: 1st Early, Beauty of Bute; 2nd Early, Sharpes Express; Maincrop, & Red Pontiac; Late Maincrop. Why do I love potatoes sooo much....must be in the genes!
First year growing spuds. I am already hooked have planted my first earlies Epicure on the 1st March in my potato planters. Did bring them in to the garage as we had a few ground frosts but even being inside they are already showing just over the soil.
Will need to invest in some more planters as my Aphrodte and Desiree will be planted in the next couple of months. My family can't wait to eat the potatos of my labour.
Shoots on spuds may be slow to appear this year as after that mild spell we keep getting some very cold nights, and in darkest Hampshire, also a lot of frosts still, so I'd not panic. Karl, glad you liked the book and hope it proves useful. I'm always trying to find easier and better or greener or quicker ways of doing things in the garden (and everywhere else !) I 've now started up an 'Ask Pippa' garden problem solving service on my website www.pippagreenwood.com, for those niggling garden problems that need attention and will beadding regular tips and suggestions on the site too.Take a look and see what you think.
As for earlies and first earlies etc, I agree the terminology can be mond boggling, but nothing like as bad as the apple tree rootstock terms and codes ! These different types of potatoes have doffering theoretical planting dates and spacings and harvest from dates.....but like all good gardeners, most of us bend the rules so don't take it toooooo seriously! First earlies and second earlies plant at about 4in depth, 12in between the rows approx for first earlies and 15 between the rows for second earlies . Plant first earlies a week or two earlier than second earlies (theory is late march and early april respectively)...then harvest times usually from early to mid-june until July or so for first earlies and throughout July and Aug for second earlies. All this sounds horrendously confusing but it gives you an idea of the theory but as you can see from all these spud-lovers' blogs, hardly anyone does it 'by the book' !!!
Thanks to you all- I shall be out planting this weekend! As for your advice Pippa, good to hear from an expert that it can be mind boggling!!Any tips from you all on the best varieties to plant?
As usual my potatoes go in the ground the last week of March, (against what has been posted earlier) I only grow maincrop King Edwards, and they come OK from late March planting, in soil enriched with my own well made garden compost dug in during the autumn, as soon as the ground is clear from the previous years crop, (not potatoes)I use a three year rotation, these hopefully will last us through to next January.
the potatoes i planted last year did not do so well. maybe because they were shop bought potatoes. so now I have bought some from the gardening section in a shop which i have already planted in a bucket. they are Charlote and Nicola. Wish me luck.
Posts
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/planting_potatoes.html
I get most of my info from Gardeners World,this site and books (Geoff Hamilton & Pippa's)
Will need to invest in some more planters as my Aphrodte and Desiree will be planted in the next couple of months. My family can't wait to eat the potatos of my labour.
Karl, glad you liked the book and hope it proves useful. I'm always trying to find easier and better or greener or quicker ways of doing things in the garden (and everywhere else !) I 've now started up an 'Ask Pippa' garden problem solving service on my website www.pippagreenwood.com, for those niggling garden problems that need attention and will beadding regular tips and suggestions on the site too.Take a look and see what you think.
As for earlies and first earlies etc, I agree the terminology can be mond boggling, but nothing like as bad as the apple tree rootstock terms and codes ! These different types of potatoes have doffering theoretical planting dates and spacings and harvest from dates.....but like all good gardeners, most of us bend the rules so don't take it toooooo seriously! First earlies and second earlies plant at about 4in depth, 12in between the rows approx for first earlies and 15 between the rows for second earlies . Plant first earlies a week or two earlier than second earlies (theory is late march and early april respectively)...then harvest times usually from early to mid-june until July or so for first earlies and throughout July and Aug for second earlies. All this sounds horrendously confusing but it gives you an idea of the theory but as you can see from all these spud-lovers' blogs, hardly anyone does it 'by the book' !!!