Potatoes - please help

madamel · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 1

Hi everyone Very Happy

This is the first year that myself & my husband have had room to grow veggies. We planted our first potatoes (2nd earlies) almost 5 weeks ago. Following some advice we got, we didn't chit them as we were late planting & basically planted by laying the potatoes on the ground & covering them with a small mound of soil. Anyway, fast forward 5 weeks & there is nothing growing Shocked

What could be the problem?

Thanks
Mel

Greengage · Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:23 pm Post subject:

dont worry yet soil temp is down for this time of year, very wet and cold also you will have missed the frost, If nothing happens within the nest 2 weeks post again.
What varieties were they. Dont be worrying nature will always take care of itself.
I planted mine 17th march and just peeping above ground now,

thosmc · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 10

Any advice to a total novice gardener.
I attempted to grow some potatoes last year (wasnt impressed with results).This year I have a lot of potatoe greenery growing.Are there potatoes in there and how so?Tthanks in advance.

Sive · Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:23 pm Post subject:

Don't despair....last year was a very poor year for potatoes, even for seasoned growers. I'm not sure what your question is about though....did you plant potatoes this year...or do you mean you have plants growing from potatoes you left in the soil last year...? If there are plants there will be potatoes to harvest !

thosmc · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 10

Thanks for your reply Very Happy

I didnt plant any this year as my gardening instructor/mother in law says you cant grow spuds two years on the trot in the same soil.!!!???
If I left any in the ground I waasnt aware of it.

Sive · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 10:37 am Post subject:

It's all too easy to miss the odd potato when harvesting so a random plant appearing the following year is not at all unusual. We've even had potatoes growing happily in compost heaps, obviously from the odd whole potato we may have discarded......

The advice about not growing potatoes in the same soil two years in a row, is just about good husbandry......the potatoes themselves don't heed such things !

thosmc · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 10

The plants look quite strong and healthy without any assistance from me,I just wondered if there was anything there and do you have to wait till the flowering dies off before harvesting?.

Sive · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:58 pm Post subject:

Wait a bit longer until the flowers die back..... you'll have a nice surprise when you reap your unexpected little harvest !

thosmc · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 10

Eternal sceptic that I am ,Ill believe it when I see it!

My Potatoes · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:38 pm Post subject:

Are these potato plants volunteers? (A volunteer being a plant that's grown from a tuber from the previous season (which had not been harvested)). I've never seen one of these develop tubers larger than marbles.

Blowin · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:34 pm Post subject:

I'm afraid I've got to disagree. I've had two lots of 'volunteers', if that's their proper name, from last year's crop and, to be honest, they've been as heavy croppers as the ones I planted new this year.

The best of the two were the Desiree that produced quite a few baker sized tubers.

My Potatoes · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:07 pm Post subject: