Tatties 2017

Now see that the monsters are going to flower. Seem to be getting everything in abundance except what I want......spuds to eat! Have I overdone the "mare's best"? having a "machine" that makes it we are constantly looking for places to use it and I earthed up the shoots in the bags with 75% rotted manure. I would win ALL the prizes for healthy looking top growth,huge, bright green leaves and not a blemish anywhere and now going to have loads of flowers, however, could well be the bottom of the class for anything actually edible.

 

Meant to ask, should I nip off the flowers? I know it's best to get rid of flowers on many veg if they decide to appear. Mind you at the rate things are going I might as well enjoy the flowers as unless things improve dramatically they will be about all I'll get.

 

Too much nitrogen

Keep the flowers on

 

Thanks @Zigs. Boo hiss and ........Not only have I overdone the manure on the Jersies which are taking over the greenhouse as I speak I have also earthed up the rest of my outside Potatoes with.....guess what? manure. I haven't fed them with anything else and wasn't intending to either. Is there anything I can do to rectify the situation other than resign myself to visiting the supermarket for me spuds and try again next year? I am NOT taking away all the manure I've used earthing up the ones outside, life is too short and in this heat I'd expire.

 

Only thing I can think of is mixing sawdust/woodchip in with it, that robs nitrogen to rot down

 

Oh thanks @Zigs. Next time I've got the chainsaw out to cut up some logs I'll hurl some resulting sawdust at the bugg..ers. You live and learn, I'm definitely guilty of, if not killing, definitely spoiling the Potatoes with kindness. Maybe I'll get a few. The Pink Firs are only just through (took absolutely ages to get going). They are planted in pretty rich soil but they have not been earthed up yet so they WON'T be getting the manure treatment!

 

Don't show Silu John

 

Don't start @zigs you really are a cheeky bugg... My monsters continue to smother the greenhouse but I haven't had another furtle since my last very disappointing investigation. I intend to have another look at the end of this week and if things have not improved then I am dragging the whole damned lot out of the greenhouse. They are a constant reminder, as I fight my way into the greenhouse that my 1st efforts at Potato growing have NOT gone well so far. Not helped by Lldl constantly advertising on the TV that they have gorgeous ones for sale atm.The good news on the eating front is my Mange Tout grown in the greenhouse for a quick early crop are delicious so not all bad. Much as it grieves me to say, well done JWK I'll be lucky to get from all 5 seed Potatoes what you have from 1 root!

 

I had a furtle around Tesco on Sunday.

Even at only 95% off (normally 99% off final fruit & veg reductions), it always makes me wonder just why I spend so much time & money on buying seed spuds, chitting, buying compost & fertilizer, watering, spraying against blight, etc., etc. But I still do it every year.

 

Having made the proverbial ba..s up of my seed spuds I think I might be buying mine in future @Scrungee

 

Oh poops. Id put loads of manure on my new raised beds as it was thick clay. My potatoes top growth is really lush so now having read this I feel I'm going to be dissappointed

 

Confession time. I had some lovely little red ones to eat from last year's crop but I don't even care about the edible part. As @Scrungee noted it is cheaper to buy them but I was so impressed with the lush green and pretty flowers that I even resist singing to them.... that kills just about anything. ..

Maybe I should try singing to the dandelions!

Good job @Snorky85 looks lush