![]() Never leave your potatoes out for too long, as your potatoes may turn green. Potatoes that are left in wet conditions are more vulnerable to rot.Ī great way to dry your potatoes is to leave them in the sun for a day or two while turning them continuously. The most important thing to storing maincrop potatoes is to ensure they are placed in a clean and dry area. If you have some maincrop potatoes, however, you will be glad to know that they store well for the winter. Unfortunately, not all potatoes are ideal for storage, with earlies and second earlies being highly unsuitable due to their tender texture. On top of being easy to plant and care for, potatoes are also great for storing to be used later. This is a process that will help harden your potatoes for better storage. With the tubers still in the ground, allow your potatoes to grow for another 2 to 3 weeks. You should then attend to the plant and raise it approximately 1 inch off the ground. The plants should then shrivel and become dry, leaving behind the shrivelled leaves and stems. At this point, much of the potato plants will turn yellow, which is an indication of when to harvest maincrop potatoes. Maincrop potatoes are typically ready to be dug up between August and September, which marks the end of summer. Unlike the former potatoes, the guide to understanding when to harvest maincrop potatoes requires more in-depth knowledge. To store maincrop potatoes, be sure to leave them in a clean and dry area, or they may rot. The texture to maincrop potatoes is generally harder, making them better for storage. They are regularly planted at the same time as the second early potatoes.īecause maincrop potatoes are better for storage, many home harvesters would typically keep them for use in the winter or cook them as baked potatoes. In the UK, maincrop potato breeds include the Purple Majesty, King Edward, Pink Fir Apple, and Cara. In comparison with the “Earlies” and “Second Earlies”, maincrop potatoes are much larger in size and take longer to grow – approximately 20 weeks for the crop to mature. They have a similar taste and texture to first early potatoes but are larger in size. ![]() Once the buds begin to drop, or the bloomed flowers begin to fade, you will know that it is time to dig up your second early potatoes. Like the “Earlies”, the tell-tale sign of when to harvest your second early potatoes is by looking out for the potato flowers. By staggering the date of when to plant your second early potatoes, you’ll be able to enjoy your fruits of labour back to back without being overwhelmed by potatoes. If you are unsure about finishing large harvests of early and second early potatoes, you may want to take advantage of the different harvest periods. ![]() The potatoes will be ready for harvest about 15 weeks after planting. Second early potato breeds such as Nicola, Jazzy, Kestrel, and Maris Peer are traditionally planted on the first day of spring in the UK – approximately in late March. Second Early PotatoesĪlso known as the “Second Earlies”, these are the potatoes that will mature later than the “Earlies”. Unfortunately, early potatoes do not store well, so you may have to consume them as soon as you have dug them up. This is also a sign that your early potatoes are ready to be dug up.Įarly potatoes or the “Earlies” are usually about the size of an egg or larger and will continue to grow for as long as you leave them in the ground. Occasionally, the flowers may not bloom, but the buds have begun to fall. ![]() Early potatoes that are ready for harvest will see faded blooming flowers. The best way to identify when to harvest early potatoes is to keep a close eye on the potato flowers. Potatoes in the earlies category are generally more tender to taste with a melt in your mouth finish. They are typically planted around March and will be ready for harvest between 10 to 12 weeks after, which is around early summer. Potatoes that fit in the “Earlies” category include breeds like the Red Duke of York, Arran Pilot, and Lady Christl. These names are derived from the differences of when to harvest the potatoes.īefore we dive into the details of knowing when to harvest potatoes, it is important to know why you are looking to plant these crops.Ĭonsidering how different types of potatoes have a variety of use, understanding the nature of use can be helpful when you are picking your crop of choice. There are 3 main harvest seasons for potatoes, and they are separately known as the “Earlies”, “Second Earlies”, and the “Maincrop”. More You Might Like How to Know When Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest.How to Know When Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest.
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