have just planted 15 tubers for my christmas potatoes
hope they turn out ok, my 2nd earlies where well dissapointing
but seeing it was my first time musnt grumble still got 10 tubers
to uplift yet but am waiting till the weekend hope this lot
are better
ash

Hope they turn out good for you, have just got mine but not planted yet.

Having lost most of my maincrop to blight this year, I was thinking about Christmas tatties but no idea which varieties to look at?

Thanks in advance

VPM
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Christmas potatoes are something I have never tried. NB how do you protect them from the cold? There are usually some sharp frosts before Christmas.
Are they susceptible to late blight in the early stages?

VPM, growing from now to xmas blight should not be a problem, though if the rain and cloud continues light might be a problem. I will grow mine in the greenhouse in bags, so I would go for any variety you like. I have red duke of york, tasty and a christmassy colour, just scrub and cook
Alan, as you can see from my reply above mine grow in bags in the greenhouse in home made compost with a bit of mycorrhizae thrown in for good measure, never had a problem with this method. Outdoor tomatoes are also flourishing on composted soil and rootgrow, despite the awful weather. Do you have a blight problem at the moment ? The weather is so unpredictable now that I tend to plan for all eventualities as far as possible.
We just had a few sunny days but raining again now.

Thanks NB. Will have to visit the garden centre on Monday - himself might be able to have King Eds for Christmas Dinnerr after all

VPM
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P.S. No rain for about a week now. Only main bed of potatoes got blight. All tomatoes seem ok - the sun arrived in the nick of time, I'd say

the ones ive got if they grow will be ready by the end of october, i got mine from the magazines shop as they where pay [postage only plus got a free grow bag and a free pair of gloves to boot all for £4.75 . so we shall see how they get on.
ash.

Are you going to have a bash Alan? Also are you near Chepstow ? The green gathering festival on 2 aug looks interesting .

I don't think I'll try it, NB. The polytunnel is no protection against autumn frosts I'm afraid.

We are only 30 miles closer to Chepstow than you are; it's at the opposite diagonal corner of Wales.
And I don't really think it's my scene

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/t ... ring/2012/

I've never thought them worth the bother. I still have Charlotte left at Christmas which are as good as new potatoes whenever you eat them and Winter is the time for roasted potatoes anyway.

Agreed roast spuds are nice with christmas dinner, but after the excesses of christmas day salad pickles and new pots are nice with leftovers on boxing day

You can't beat a cold roast potato, in my view. Cold baked taters are nice, too, especially the skins. I've always rather enjoyed tinned new potatoes.

I've grown new potatoes for Christmas and they did quite well. I'm not convinced that they are worth the money, though — the seed potatoes are kept in cold storage and are therefore expensive, I'm not convinced, either, that they would be at all successful in a Christmas like 2010, when it was -15ºC. I grew them in a polytunnel and gave them fleece protection (belt and braces). By December, light levels are so low that growth by then has almost halted in any case., so if the leaves get nipped it's neither here nor there.

Well I dragged the kids (they did get a Lego TeamGB Mini figure each out of it though) to the garden centre and invested in some Charlotte potatoes - 6 of them for £2.99 which I didn't think was too bad at all really.

Will be planting them into deep tubs tomorrow - 3 per tub - and see how they do. Will dig out the old parafin heater for the winter and consturct another of my patented ( ) bubble wrap cloches around them in the greenhouse come the Autumn/Winter.

I am determined that we will have home grown potatoes on our plates come Christmas Dinner

VPM
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