Planting potatoes when? I am confused!

[Odsox]

How long roughly before i see anything happening with the earlies??!!

These were planted on the 2nd of March.

spuds.jpg (138.98 KiB) Viewed 2786 times

The rule of thumb in this part or Ireland is not Paddies day, it's plant on the 1st of March and start to dig them on the 1st of June.
Although I usually try to get them in by the 3rd week of February and have the first cook on Whitsunday together with the first cook of gooseberries for pud.

[JulieSherris]

Our spuds have gone in over the last few days - but I'm doing mine in tyres, so I figured that the tyres would keep the soil warm... I dunno how true this would be, but it sounds good!

I also grabbed 3 potato bags whilst out with hubby & have used those for the Oca - I didn't know if they would have to be moved at all later on & the bags have handles, so I shall wait & see how they get on this year - fingers crossed!

[matowakan]

Thanks odsox for the piccies,now I know what I am looking for,
This site is so good!!!!!!

[Odsox]

I also grabbed 3 potato bags whilst out with hubby & have used those for the Oca

Julie, I grew Oca last year and one thing they don't tell you is that are really efficient slug magnets !!
I grew 6 or 8 tubers (can't remember now) and harvested several kilos in early December, but although they were good sized tubers just about all of them were slug damaged, holes burrowed right up the middle.
I vowed we would not bother again but yesterday before I chucked them in the compost we sorted out half a dozen of the best ones and had them roasted last night and we liked them so much I'm going to rescue some to plant again this year. I think perhaps I will try watering with nematodes in November and see if that helps, but if you intend to grow them in bags perhaps you won't have that problem.
Be warned though, each Oca plant will spread to about a square yard by autumn.

[JulieSherris]

Hi Tony, thanks for the heads up on that - I'm not too worried about them spreading, because they are just in the bags this year - I didn't want to take too many chances, because it's something new to me.
I've kept the info about them & will plan to harvest them in late Nov or early Dec - then leave them for a few weeks as suggested before cooking them - it does say that they are best eaten 'aged'!

I'll get some copper tape for the bag bases though... have you tried Ulluco & Yacon? I'm getting my order in early this year to give those a go as well!!

[Odsox]

it does say that they are best eaten 'aged'!

Not so much 'aged' as matured in the sun.
They need daylight to reduce the oxalic acid content, but I'm sure you will find that by December they will have pushed several tubers out of the ground, so you can taste those fairly immediately.
If you try them raw I think they taste just like under-ripe plums, but roasted they taste like a cross between parsnips and squash.

I did intend to have a go at growing Ulluco, had my name down for some at Real Seed Co, but I think they had a crop failure ... so maybe next year.

[Mal]

Well now I've had to spend some time chasing the word Oca all over the net, and finding a fascinating open book at http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?recor ... 98&page=82 which then meant I had to spend some time looking at other lost crops of the Incas. Fascinating, but wasn't really what I meant to be doing this lunchtime!

When do you plant your Oca? I'll have to get on the list at Real Seeds for next year, they sound good!

[Odsox]

When do you plant your Oca? I'll have to get on the list at Real Seeds for next year, they sound good!

About the same time as potatoes, so any time between now and the end of April.

[Odsox]

I had to spend some time looking at other lost crops of the Incas. Fascinating, but wasn't really what I meant to be doing this lunchtime!

A very interesting book and you're right, you can get well and truly side tracked and easily lose an hour.
Other Inca crops I grew last year were Quinoa and Pepino both of which turned out OK ... except I made the mistake of not drying the Quinoa properly and it all went mouldy.

[Millymollymandy]

Blimey, yeah I thought you were talking about a spud variety but when Tony mentioned eating them raw and tasting like plums I got very, very confused!

I've just been making my spud trenches but the soil's so dry on the surface it is hard work cos the dry stuff is just falling back inside the trenches. I want rain!

[JulieSherris]

So I just had a quick look at the board before hanging out my washing.... saw the link, so clicked it & had a read.. which led me to the Ulluco & Yakon pages... and nearly another hour has passed!
So... washing is going out right now!

[Odsox]

Blimey, yeah I thought you were talking about a spud variety but when Tony mentioned eating them raw and tasting like plums I got very, very confused!

Oh dear sorry about that MMM, and on a Monday too
Yeah, I did sort of wander off on a tangent.

Still nothing to do with this thread .... it rained all day here yesterday MMM, a downpour first thing turning into a soft Irish day (fine rain .. a bit harder than a drizzle)
So from tomorrow onwards it's all systems go on the sowing scene, 2nd early potatoes, main crop potatoes, maincrop peas, broad beans .. phew tires me out just thinking about it.
At the moment Metcheck are forecasting rain again for Friday, so should suit me fine.

[Millymollymandy]

You probably need it more than me but our forecast is sun, sun and more sun with mild getting quite warm! I'm really pleased actually cos the peach blossom is out and the damson blossom is just starting so we might get some peaches and plums this year!

But after that I want rain.

[invisiblepiper]

This has been very useful - mine are still on the windowsill.
read somewhere that the ideal 'chit' length is one inch?

[Odsox]

read somewhere that the ideal 'chit' length is one inch?

I prefer them shorter than that if possible, just healthy looking shoots 1/2 inch is fine.
If they are much longer it's very easy to knock them off when handling.