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Post by Cherry on Jun 19, 2015 5:54:00 GMT
My few potatoes are growing in tubs and the Charlotte are doing very well, yet they were quite wizened, but SueA thought I could give them a try anyway. However, the main point of the exercise was to grow Shetland Black, which were in good order when planted, but only one strong plant is growing away. Could I have put too much soil on top in the very large tin bath, because I could not lift very well and asked son-in-law to tip another pot full of soil in quite early in the growth. Would this prevent the tubers from growing? I am really disappointed. I think I am really strong now. |
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Post by SueA on Jun 19, 2015 7:53:10 GMT
Possibly if there was a lot of soil dropped in at once Cherry it may have snapped off some of the growing shoots but they still might come through if they were just buried a bit deep, glad the Charlottes are doing O.K. though. |
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Post by Cherry on Jun 19, 2015 10:48:31 GMT
Thanks for the confidence SueA. The one which is up is a really strong, healthy top and the Charlottes look great. If the Shetland Black keeps going as it has, it might spread around and I will be able to save some seed tubers for next year. |
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Post by Rosie on Jun 19, 2015 15:01:29 GMT
I think they will be ok Cherry, The pheasants broke a stem of one of my Druids and it's coming through again. Plus think how farmers plant their spuds, they are deep planted and not earthed up through the growing season. I put my plastic bottles into my spud bed a couple of days ago so the water goes right to the roots where it's needed  |
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Post by dianthus on Jun 19, 2015 17:48:33 GMT
My few potatoes are growing in tubs and the Charlotte are doing very well, yet they were quite wizened, but SueA thought I could give them a try anyway. However, the main point of the exercise was to grow Shetland Black, which were in good order when planted, but only one strong plant is growing away. Could I have put too much soil on top in the very large tin bath, because I could not lift very well and asked son-in-law to tip another pot full of soil in quite early in the growth. Would this prevent the tubers from growing? I am really disappointed. I think I am really strong now. You could always move away some of the compost over the empty spaces, to see if anything is growing.. It could be the seed potato has rotted and needs removing, so not to contaminate the good plants. Slugs or golden eelworm may have had lunch on them, too. |
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Post by SueA on Jun 19, 2015 20:30:01 GMT
I earthed up & fed my potatoes in pots & bags today Cherry & the Shetland Black were the smallest plants so maybe they're not as vigorous as some, I've got Charlotte - which were the biggest, Lady Cristl & Winston too. I took a photo, they're all along the side of the greenhouse with an assortment of plants in pots waiting for a home including a rhubarb, apple tree & pond plants!  |
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Post by dianthus on Jul 19, 2015 23:05:37 GMT
I've been eating my Rocket and Abbot potatoes for the past month and they have been lovely, but I have to say that T&M's new Abbot variety is a bit floury as a new potato. Time will tell if any of them survive in the ground long enough to get big enough for bakers, as that may better suit their characteristics.
The next variety will be Kestrel |
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Post by sweetpea on Jul 20, 2015 11:43:46 GMT
Kestrel is a good spud. Useful for local shows too. As is Winston.
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Post by dianthus on Jul 21, 2015 20:03:13 GMT
Kestrel is a good spud. Useful for local shows too. As is Winston. I don't do shows, as there are very few veg gardeners in this area, and the allotment plots are 3 miles away. I've never grown Winston, sweetpea.
Has anyone grown Chicago before? If so, can you add feedback please. 
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 22:32:25 GMT
Never heard of them Dianthus. Yes, Kestrel and Winston are excellent potatoes and more or less all you see at the shows. I grow Casablanca for whites and Blue Belle for coloureds. For everyday spuds I have Rocket and Charlotte. Best thing about growing in bags is you can control the moisture and never let them dry out, so no check to growth in dry spells. Blue Belle has lovely markings, a 'smile' on every one of them! Talking of deep planting, I do the opposite and plant in a shallow trench. (for my open ground potatoes) As the growth emerges I earth up at least twice. (more or less burying the shoots) Harvesting is then easy as the crop is just above ground level. |
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Post by peony on Jul 22, 2015 12:08:00 GMT
I grew Charlotte, Rocket and Swift in bags this year, good results with Charlotte and Rocket, but not such a good crop of Swift which we thought were tasteless.
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Post by dianthus on Jul 23, 2015 20:34:20 GMT
I grew Charlotte, Rocket and Swift in bags this year, good results with Charlotte and Rocket, but not such a good crop of Swift which we thought were tasteless. That's not good news about the swift, peony
If the Abbott aren't great as a bigger potato as mash or baker, I shalln't bother with them again.
Do T&M read this and get the feedback?
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Post by dianthus on Jul 25, 2015 20:24:03 GMT
Had to dig up my remaining dozen or so Abbott plants today..... blight, but not turning the axles of the stems black as usual, but it has got to about a third of the crop.
It's a shame as I wanted to see how big they would grow.
Blanched a trayful and roasting them, and will scrape the tiddlers tomorrow, to see what are salvageable. |
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Post by dianthus on Aug 3, 2015 16:41:37 GMT
Foliage on 12 Kestrel, in 6 bags, was going yellow and had little spots over the leaves, so worried if blight had got to them, as well.
Luckily none found, and I yielded a 10litre bucket full of potatoes, so now have about 3/4 of the bucket laid out on some hessian, to dry off.
I have all the small ones now in the salad box, in a black bag, and some to scrape for dinner tonight. Anything over 1cm gets scraped and put in the pot 
So far, I now have as many potatoes in storage, than I had after I'd dug up the whole crop, last year. I still have 7 Kestrel in the ground, 20 Picasso and 20 Chicago in large bags, keeping fingers crossed for a few bakers this year. |
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Post by daitheplant on Aug 3, 2015 18:49:06 GMT
You are doing well Di.
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