Kitchen Garden Forum

Time and time again this year I have remarked on some of my posts how badly the King Edward maincrop potato growth was doing.
I had been concerned throughout that the lack of top growth would also reflect upon the end crop yield.

Proved correct today.
I used to have bigger marbles in junior school, Pathetic crop, going to have trouble finding four half decent size ones to enter in show.

Pa Snip, I had a similar experience with Rocket this year. They have always provided a huge crop but this year's comprised two or three normal sized tubers and lots of tiny ones. I blame the early dry weather.

I agree Monika, weather has played havoc in the opposite way to what we normally moan about.

Like others I am now noticing the lack of runner beans forming, The plants are at top of 8ft canes , absolutely smothered in flowers from top to bottom but with very few forming into beans

I tried five different varieties this year none of them produced any great amount ,the bags i put in the pollytunnel in early February are just about flowering i moved them outside when it was tomato planting time if I remember right they are Charlottes

Well satisfied with potatoes this year. Had 65kgs Charlotte (can't remember how many I planted, bought 58 but gave about 20 away) and over 90kgs Picasso from 31 planted. Runner beans still cropping like mad, giving loads away, Firestorm slightly out-performing Moonlight. Are you having trouble with the older type varieties or the modern crosses like I grow?

We only sowed Firestorm this year because of our reduced space but they have come up trumps. I don't like frozen ones, so have given lots away and we are eating runner beans for almost every hot meal!

I now grow mostly Moonlight but still grow a few Enorma, as I think they taste slightly better. But I have to say, the Moonlight are cropping well but, even with this cooler weather, being kept well watered and fed, the Enorma are still refusing to set any amount of beans....

There has only been one feed of runner beans for us so far this year & not that tasty. My plants sulked in the heat so I re-sowed direct & these flowered but the beans set big seeds straight away so I had 2 or 3 large seeds and then the rest of the bean was saggy, then they got black mildew on them. So I re-sowed (certainly used up the packs in the seed tin), these looked promising but the seam on them was red and the skin was thick. I'm on my final sowing which are up & have flowers, not growing quickly but are not showing any of the problems the others have. (No idea of the variety as these are saved seeds so must have been pretty good for me to save some, but the label is too faded).

My new metal arch tunnel has remained just a path unfortunately, steps bought to tie in the tops is still in the shrink wrap. Never mind always next year to try them out. I will go back to Firestorm & Moonlight next year, even though they weren't as good last year at least they fed us, unlike this sorry lot of older varieties. I may add this bed will be getting extra TLC over winter as well!

I had a senior moment earlier: it wasn't Firestorm we grew, it was the cream-flowered Moonlight! And the comment about their large yield refers to Moonlight, of course. Apologies.

Monika wrote:I had a senior moment earlier: it wasn't Firestorm we grew, it was the cream-flowered Moonlight! And the comment about their large yield refers to Moonlight, of course. Apologies.

Monika. Happens to us all in time. Each week I am convinced I have paid the Memsahib her House keeping twice.