lifting new potatoes

[dozeydo]

I have never grown potatoes before. I have them in growing bags and the leaves are well out of the top of the bags. How do I know when to lift them, please?

[crisgal]

i'm doing this myself, for the first time too.
I 've been told that you wait for the flowers to grow and die, and then the spuds are ready.
I have heard, though, that you could lift them now - but they'd be teeny tiny!
good luck!

[dozeydo]

Thanks, crisgal! Just got to wait for flowers then - assuming the rain doesn't stop them developing!!!

[crisgal]

are you doing crop rotation? Ooh, get me!
You know, are you staggering your planting?
I was about to bung in all me toobers when my mum pointed out they'd all be ready at once!

[dozeydo]

Ooops - my mum is no longer with us so there was no one to warn me - so in they all went - cos it was exciting to do!!!

[dozeydo]

I guess we'll have to pig out or give extra to mates!!

[shylock73]

Whoa there dozey, don`t go fumbling about for a while yet, settle down and be patient. If you go lifting them too soon you`ll have marbles, so bide your time and let the foliage die down and you will have some decent size tatty`s.

[crisgal]

Are you growing anything else dozeydo?

[growbag]

Hi, this may be too late, but did you earth the potatoes up? ie when the leaves appear, cover them up with more earth, let the leaves grow more, cover them up again and so on unitl the flowers appear and then die? If so, then as long as they have flowered you should be ok although the potatoes may be very small.
Last year we left our potatoes for too long and they became water-logged when it rained heavily; I lost the whole crop. Not a great experience!

[dozeydo]

Thanks everyone - yes, I did earth them up a couple of times til I ran out of compost so maybe they won't be that big - they're supposed to be earlies similar to jersey royals. I will try to be patient but I'm dying to see them!!
Crisgal, I'm doing toms, runner beans and a few peas although they don't seem very keen to grow much - I'll try some more. I've also got rasps and strawbs and a bush each of gooeberries, blackcurrants and blue berries. What about you?

[crisgal]

dozeydo, how funny, I left the PC this morning after our chat.
I've just logged on, and there you are!
It's as if we've never been apart!
I too am trying beans, peas and tomaoes. As well as cos lettuce, mixed salad leaves and spinach, onions, garlic, sweetcorn, strawberries, courgettes and carrots!
I've never grown anything before, and have only chosen stuff that's relatively easy to grow - I figure with that lot, surely something will be successful!

[dozeydo]

Crisgal - good luck - let's hope we don't get loads of rain like last year - everything rotted! I'm off to chop some privet before it rains again!!

[crisgal]

good luck to you too x
let us know when they're ready to eat x

[derrynoose]

One of the advantages of growing potatoes in a bag is that you should be able to "hoke" in the soil without disturbing growth. You can then feel the size of the spuds. If you are not feeding too many people you can remove sufficient large ones when ready and allow the rest to continue growing.

[dozeydo]

Thanks, derrynoose - will try it once I see some flowers.