Friday had the promise of rain but as usual didn't deliver. Harvesting and weeding on the plot felt like a race against the rain which from the black clouds over the plot looked like it was about to bucket it down at any moment.
The total by midnight just 0.4mm and as usual this year the rain didn't arrive.
Our Charlotte potato haulms are starting to turn yellow. I don’t expect this to happen until the first weeks of August normally but the long spell of dry weather has taken its toll. Obviously as our potatoes beneath are not going to do any more growing we decided to see if we actually had any potatoes under the haulms at all.
While the crop was certainly disappointing at least we had some decent sized potatoes. I half expected to just have a few very tiny immature potatoes so at least we have some harvest to look forward to. A bonus of the dry weather, well there was absolutely no slug damage.
The remaining crop might as well be left in the ground to do any extra growing they can before they are lifted for winter storage.
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Hi Martyn, Charlotte was the first to yellow here in Edinburgh too. As with you the size was impressive even if the yield was low. I thought they were Estima until I checked my diary. My first earlies (Red DoY and Swift) hardly have any tops to turn. I haven't even dared look... !!!!
ReplyDeleteOur Red DoY are going yellow too again with almost no tops. Usually the tops tumble over the grass paths but not this year. If most of ours perform like the one root of Charlotte lifted I'll be pleased.
ReplyDeleteIv'e grown Charlotte potatoes on the allotment, I'm a bit of a potato virgin so can you tell me whether I need to dig up the lot or can I leave them in the ground till needed. Btw some of the foliage has turned yellow too
ReplyDeleteWell CS I don't think there's any hard and fast rules when to dig up your potatoes. I've cleared crops in August and stored the potatoes in boxes in my garage well into the new year. If the tops are yellow leave them to go brown a sure sign the potatoes will not do anymore growing. They can only get damaged by slugs etc if left in the ground. If the ground is cleared now or in the next few weeks you probably have time to make use of the ground to plant up more vegetables. I'll lift the rest of my potatoes starting in August. If you haven't got time to lift them now don't worry the potatoes will keep okay in the ground too but just have the chance of more slug damage.
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