Harvest Hints
Harvest time depends on:
• Planting date
• Weather and temperature at planting
time
• Weather during growing season
• Variety
maturity
• Weather and temperature at harvest time
Generally, seed potatoes will be ready to harvest as follows:
|
Variety Maturity |
Harvest Period |
|
First Earlies |
June to July. Best harvested in small quantities
and eaten when
fresh. When first flowers appear,
there should be edible tubers
underneath.
|
|
Second Earlies |
July to August. Best harvested in small
quantities and eaten when
fresh. Allow to grow
bigger than First Earlies.
|
|
Salads |
July to August. Best harvested in small quantities
and eaten when
fresh. |
|
Early Maincrop |
August to September. Allow the foliage to
die back before
harvesting.
|
|
Late Maincrop |
September onwards. Allow the foliage to
die back before
harvesting. |
First Earlies are best eaten fresh, at the start of the season.
Second Earlies and Salads can be eaten fresh or stored, provided the skins
are “set” and do not rub off when harvested. For storage, harvest in September,
having cut down the foliage to stop continued growth, and treat as per
Maincrops, below.
Maincrops can be stored, as long as the tubers are lifted in dry conditions
or dried properly. Put into a hessian sack and store in a cool, dark, frost-free
area.
|
Microplants |
Treat as per Maincrops. When storing resultant
crops from microplants, ensure that the crop is dry, with
minimal soil adhering to the tubers and no obvious pests. The tubers
should be placed in containers that will allow air to circulate freely,
such as old orange crates / trays etc. They can be exposed to light, but
they must be kept in a cool, frost-free area over the winter. If the area
is too warm then they will sprout prematurely; too cold then they will get
chilled/frosted. The tubers should be checked regularly over the winter
for any signs of breakdown or deterioration. During
Jan / Feb, the tubers should be set out to chit, so that they produce
good, sturdy sprouts that will give them a head start when they are
finally planted. Plant according to maturity, as per our
planting guide.
Please note planting the crop is not normally recommended, but these
have been grown from disease-free plants with a high health status.
|
|
Christmas Potatoes |
As these have been planted in June/July, they will not mature properly
until at least October. Allow the foliage to die back during the autumn
and then make sure they are well protected from frost, by covering with
straw, or fleece, or if planted in containers, moving the container into a
cool, frost-free area. The crop can be harvested in time for Christmas and
will look and taste like newly harvested First
Earlies.
|
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|
