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How to tell if potatoes are earlies/mains etc

DebtFree2012
DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
in Gardening
I have planted potatoes and some are flowering.

I know there were earlies and maincrop in there - how do I tell the difference from the surface?

Thanks
Debt - CCV £3792
CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)
Loan 1 £1787
Loan 2 £1683
Total £8601 Was £39302

Comments

  • realfood
    realfood Posts: 130 Forumite
    The early foliage will start to die down and go yellowish. this is the only way to tell if they are ready.
  • elisaves
    elisaves Posts: 19 Forumite
    yes thats true, and aslo the ones what are flowering earlier are the earliest :)
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Sounds obvious now :) Thank you. My front row are developing flowers so I hope we get some sun and then can have my own spuds soon - first ever!!!

    Would the foliage die down without flowering?

    Thanks!
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)
    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • Mado
    Mado Posts: 21,776 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    elisaves wrote: »
    yes thats true, and aslo the ones what are flowering earlier are the earliest :)
    Actually, that's not true for me!:eek:

    This year, I planted Duke of York (1st early) and Charlotte 2 weeks before the maincrop and I currently have a bag of the main crop flowering and nothing from the other 2. In fact, I'm wondering if tehre is anything wrong with them. Plenty of foliage but nothing else happening.
    I lost my job as a cricket commentator for saying “I don’t want to bore you with the details”.Milton Jones
  • realfood
    realfood Posts: 130 Forumite
    Not all potatoes flower, so that is not a reliable indicator that the potatoes are ready.
  • twiglet98
    twiglet98 Posts: 891 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    realfood wrote: »
    Not all potatoes flower, so that is not a reliable indicator that the potatoes are ready.

    I didn't know that! Do you mean some specific varieties don't flower, and if so, which ones? Or do certain groups (first, second etc) not flower?
  • gazza975526570
    gazza975526570 Posts: 3,275 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you use this website you can see pictures of them in flower. If they do flower!

    Certain varieties just do not flower at all so dont wait for them if they arent meant to

    http://varieties.potato.org.uk/varietyindex.php?page_no=1
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