Planting potatoes early

[Johnboy]

Hi PP,
I so relieved to be proven wrong!
I thought at the time of your first posting that you had completely lost all your marbles but it seems I may be losing mine!
A neighbouring farm failed to lift a crop of Desiree spuds last autumn due to the weather and didn't get around to lifting the said crop until the last week in April and we are all amazed that the crop produced 18 tons to the acre which is about 2 tons down on the norm. The harsh weather during the winter seems to have made very little difference and the price received was far far greater than he would have received last autumn which was a great consolation.
Congratulations for being so brave.
Sincerely,
JB.

[Geoff]

It shows we don't know everything. If you don't experiment you're dead!

[PLUMPUDDING]

I lifted the Sarpo Axona yesterday, the last variety in my experiment and was very pleased with the crop.

The only variety that failed completely were some Pink Fir Apple that friend had given to me

I have been using seed potatoes saved by myself since 2006 - just a few of lots of different varieties. Some were from tiny micro propagated plants from old varieties from Alan Romans.

I occasionally buy new seed potatoes if the yield seems poor, or if I forget to save them and eat the whole crop by accident.

I still have Orion - lovely creamy mash, Fortyfold - small very tasty potatoes, Record - another tasty productive one, Highland Burgundy Red - good flavoured pink mash, and Salad Blue - not a salad one but gives navy blue mash and has a good flavour (the colour gets even bluer if you boil them and let them cool - quite an interesting addition to salads). These were my favourites from Alan Romans.

Variety Lifted No of plants Weight

Fortyfold 20th July 6 7.5 lb
Ambo 20th July 3 4.5 lb
Kestrel 10th August 3 6.5 lb
Record 10th August 4 4 lb
Desiree 21 st August 9 29.5lb
Salad Blue 22nd August 4 6.5lb
Rooster 22nd August 5 7.5lb
Orion 18th August 6 15lb
Highland Burgundy
Red 8th September 3 3lb
Sarpo Axona 15th September 8 17lb

Notes: Some of the lower yielding varieties were mainly due to me saving seed potatoes that were too small. This year I have saved good quality medium sized tubers for seed. Also I think the Fortyfold and Record should have been left to grow a bit longer for a bigger yield.

Only the Highland Burgundy Red and Salad Blue had some slug damage.
Over all the potatoes were a very good size for baking etc and there was no scab or any other problems.

Despite the very long cold winter there were very few failures except for all the Pink Fir Apple. I have no idea what happened to them as there is no sign of any of them except for just one very weedy plant with hardly any tubers.

Concluding - I am very pleased with the experiment and will certainly try it again. The only problem I can see with planting so early is that in a milder winter they might start growing much sooner and could be susceptible to frost damage. The cold this winter kept them dormant long enough to miss the last frost.

(Don't know why but the table I've done has all bunched together when it appears here - I hope you can understand it)

[Monika]

Well done, PP, they obviously did well - I still would not want to risk it!

[Shallot Man]

PLUMPUDDING. How do you store them

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Plumpudding, thank you for your update, it has made for interesting reading. Now something that i wondered, would you have the time, room or even the inclination, to maybe try just a couple of the varieties, in a winter versus spring trial.

I know i'm very demanding.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Hi Shallotman and OH

I select the potatoes for seed when I've first lifted and dried the crop. I put the seed potatoes in brown paper bags with the variety written on them and store the ones for eating in paper hen food sacks and keep them all in a cool cellar.

I decided to give November planting a go because even when kept in cool dark conditions in the cellar they always start sprouting or even shrivelling before it is suitable to plant them outside. So I thought they would do just as well or better kept moist in the soil and would stay dormant until the weather conditions were suitable for growth.

I was worried about slugs eating them and put slug pellets in the bottom of the trenches when I planted them. Slugs and snails are a big problem in my garden and I've counted over 1,000 in a 2 hour slug hunt last year.
I applied Nemaslug in spring when the shoots had appeared and had very little slug damage at all. Most were untouched except for the two I mentioned which must have been more susceptible.

I don't think I've got the space (or inclination) to do a winter/spring comparison OH but from experience can say that the November planted ones have produced as good or better sized tubers of very good quality
with in general less slug damage than the spring planted ones I've usually grown. It is also quite useful getting them in at that time of the year as there is usually the space freed up in the rotation, I don't have to worry about them deteriorating or sprouting in their bags, and it is one less job to do in spring.

[Shallot Man]

PLUMPUDDING. Many thanks. Had a superb crop from self-sown this year. Might try the November planting.

[PLUMPUDDING]

You should do OK, I don't suppose you get the late frosts where you are that are a problem up here.

[Stephen]

The escapees (or volunteers) did well for me too. I must be more careful when digging and clear the ground better.
PP, this was a very interesting experiment and I'm glad you did well. As you say, in domestic environment spuds don't last in good condition right through to Easter.

[oldherbaceous]

Thought this topic was a very interesting one….regarding Westi’s question on potato planting.

Some much missed members, though….

[Westi]

Thanks for sharing this OH, makes me more determined knowing some experienced & credible growers have had success. It was sad to see familiar names with no idea of where they have gone.

[Tony Hague]

I always plant potatoes in mid March, around my birthday. I know, strange way to celebrate. My thought is that planting them earlier, but deeper, delays them getting their shoots frosted, and saves all that mucking about earthing up. They will grow back from a bit of frost damage too. It takes a lot to stop a potato ! We did some work on targeted application of glyphosate to potato volunteers in subsequent crops to eradicate them. The shoot from each eye will keep growing even if you hit the other shoots with systemic weedkiller, so I doubt a bit of frost will kill them.

[Westi]

Just waiting for the soil to thaw & I will be putting mine in. Potentially this might be Thursday as report is 7C+ from 6am; mind I won't be going down at 6 but it is supposed to be 9C when I get down so will see if warmed up enough.