The Poultry Keeper

nigel · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:46 am Post subject: New Potatoes for Christmas

It's time to order your seed potatoes if you want to grow your own for Xmas dinner, I've seen them advertised on several sites now.

Anyone any recommendations for variety.

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:06 pm Post subject:

no don't know, will ask at the lottie and see what the oldies are buying!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

received this link the other day, but it closes at mifnight tonight, don't know if it is any use
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/tm-newsletters/sl-p-50531

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:04 pm Post subject:

So do you have to grow them inside?
Where you thinking of growing them in your new tunnel Nigel?

nigel · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject:

it seemed like a good idea, i still have a little bit of space left

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:01 pm Post subject:

and by christmas time, it will be nearly empty!

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:15 pm Post subject:

I would think the new type potatoes would do best as they usually have a shorter growing season (1st earlies and 2nd earlies) and that must help as the weather gets colder. Plus maincrop potatoes would still be available from storage (if you grow enough) - its the new potatoes that are expensive (and imported) at Xmas.

Just my thoughts...

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I believe the ones t&m are selling are 2nd ealies ~ they are obviously put in some kind of cold storage to stop growth until they're brought out again

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject:

Nigel, I was at the lottie this afternoon but all the oldies had gone. I will go earlier tomorrow and ask around!

have you done an Internet search or gone onto www.allotments4all.co.uk I'm going to go there now and see what I can find!

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:31 pm Post subject:

Just stole this from the lottie forum!

'They're normally called second croppers and will produce new potatoes for Christmas if planted in August and then kept out of the frosts.

Planting earlier will produce earlier crops'

hope this helps, I'm going to see if I can get some and plant up!

nigel · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 6:36 am Post subject:

thanks Aussie Chick - second croppers it is

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

the leaflet with my second croppers said to plant them last week in july or first in august, but definitely by the end of august ~ I think I'll go for the beginning.
I put some corn in for my grandchildren, and it's starting to get little sprouty things on top, so maybe we'll get corn cobs this year. I also helped them plant some climbing french beans about 9 days ago and they popped up this morning, so things are looking good in that corner ~ only because we keep the girls out I hasten to add!!

nigel · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:46 am Post subject:

Anyone still thinking about this I just got this link

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/c849/1

worldor · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 111 Location: West Midlands

I just ordered the seed potatoes but not the box. Someone said it wasn't very good.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

on please don't say that ~ I ordered the box because I have nowhere to grow the potatoes that the girls can't get to. Just waiting to find the space to get it all set up, hopefully in the next week ~ have the potatoes resting in the 'fridge as recommended by t&m