Kitchen Garden Forum

Until the weather is clement enough to plant them out, my Charlotte potatoes sit in the greenhouse being chitted - and shaded so that they don't get too warm. They are long ovals and it is often difficult to know which end should be topmost. In fact there are many with an equal number of sprouts both ends. I don't want to rub any off as I prefer a larger number of 'small' potatoes - Charlotte tubers can be very large.

So what is the correct way to plant them? On their sides or one end down? Will it make any difference?

If you can't see the little mark where they were attached to the parent plant at the bottom, I would lay them on their side. I'm sure they would work out which way is up eventually, but planting them upside down isn't an ideal start.

I planted mine out last week in quite deep trenches, and I've plenty of fleece ready to cover them if their tops come out before the last frosts.
It worked last year anyway.

Hello Colin.
If your pots are the right way up they will be smiling at you! If you look at the surface of the tuber carefully you will see marks where it will sprout looking something like this (• . Below each tiny bud is a curved lip - position the tubers so that you have a smile and not a frown! Also these structures tend to be closer together at the top end.
They are best planted in the soil in the upright but I'm not sure that it really makes that much difference.
Hope this helps
John

Hi Colin,
I would limit the buds to no more than 5 and plant normally.
Even if you manage to break off the buds they will form again but all you will have lost is some time.
Commercially they have not got a chance of actually being planted in the right attitude only as a sheer fluke and they manage 20 tons to the acre so I suspect all in all if you plant on their side as PP suggests they will be just fine.
JB.

Thanks PP and Johnboy, especially for the tip about the smile. Little things mean a lot!

Hi Colin,
Just to confirm the came from John and not myself. I only grin!

JB.

The eyes have it.

Nice one Felix
JB.

Wish I'd read this before I put mine in....most were obvious which were tops but some I took a guess on.

All tatties in the lottie (and hopefully will get to local tip who have compost (AKA soild conditioner!) in a few rubble sacks for the rest).

No fleece. No frost hurrah!