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Growingspuds for Chistmas...
Zoomer44
Posts: 3,267
in Fruit & veg
After growing spuds successfully for several years in bags, I had hoped the 3rd year trying for Christmas spuds might have been within my grasp but me thinks set back with late blight, the plants are not looking very healthy and with the threat of frost is it really worth the effort.
Has anyone actually grown spuds and harvested them,even in November?
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In all honesty Zoomer, I planted mine in containers at the time that was advised by people on this forum, and have harvested them all already. Mine were in various containers. I have one plant left, which is in an empty growbag, and the top leaves have only just come through, so they 'might' go to November time, but next year, I'm going to leave planting my seed potatoes until a bit later than what was advised on here, and see how they go.
I have 2 bags of potatoes (Charlotte) doing very well. Mid-September they were moved into the greenhouse and have put on lots of growth with no sign of blight. No sign of flowers yet. Am thinking about giving them a feed - is tomato feed OK please?
This week I have also moved a pot of carrots seedlings into greenhouse but feel I may have left them too late.
I started potaroes off at in August
Tried last year but did not have a greenhouse till October so they were not so successful
I think mine were planted late July and so calculated they would be ready towards the end of October beginning of November. The plan was to leave a couple of bags for harvest in December I didn't expect them to grow as quickly as they did though. Last year they were planted later and didn't grow to a sufficient size before frost got them and the bags froze solid.
...they've reached this far against all odds, first strong winds damaged foilage before I'd put in supports, slugs and caterpillars have had a nibble at the leaves, they've been saturated with an on slaughter of continual rain..you could count the number of times I've watered them on one hand and now me thinks they have late blight as the stems are slowly going brown
I was putting off delving into the bags to check if they are ready as I'm still eating spuds harvested June/July time. I'll check them tomorrow. Don't suppose they can be left in the bags if they have blight?
were the same i have cut the green of the spuds hoping they might be ok for xmas and the blight has not actualy reached the spuds themselves,i see Monty lost all his even after cutting the green off i wont know untill later when i try one, and i really was pleased last week to see that ex chef with Monty useing only nettle,comphry or wood ash for feed never buys anything, i did nettles juice took 3 weeks to matuer and is free and works just perfect as long as its not too strong now almost all the allotmenteers are making it but the smell oh dear? good liuck
Alan4711
Hi again
Nipped out and took photo of my potatoes. After reading your comments I feel well pleased with them. Have to wait to see the crop though!
VERY NICE I i see the little green grow bag and iv had a thought i had a load of stone delevered and the huge bag is non returnable, its got to make a great spud grow bag next year goos photo
good luck Alan4711
bjay-I'm so envious my summer crop did well but sadly the Christmas one is looking like 'an also ran'
I delved into one bag and harvested ;'Dunluce' today, at first it was looking like a bag full of marbles but an pleased to say there were some decent sized spuds, about half the summer crop though which wouldn't have fed us on Christmas Day, usually 12, we'd have been lucky to get one roast potato each. I keep saying I'm not going to try again. Let me know when you harvest.
Hi
4711 my neighbour used a giant bag for her summer potatoes, Great crop. Other forum members say use the big bags for making leaf mould.
Now i really have my fingers crossed for Christmas, usually have about 12. I will weigh crop come christmas if I remember!
Hi all,iv managed to get another big builders bag and am going the laef mould way with this one ,and its absolutley teeming down with rain here but still warm
goos luck everybody Alan4711
Hi there
Told you all I'd give an update. Still not harvested potatoes but thought I had better check progress so put hand in a bag to check and pulled out a lovely sized Charlotte poatato. No sign of blight still. Only a few weeks to go so am now really hopeful