Solitary chicken - need advice

[xChicken04x]

Hi Guys, I planted my potatoes a few weeks ago (19th March) and, so far haven't had any signs of life. I've googled but nothing has told me when I'll start to see the plant emerging. I had a little dig around a few days ago, and I saw one of the spuds I had originally planted, it looked healthy etc and had lots of little roots. But I'm confused as to why I don't have an actual plant yet? Of course I'm not expecting a huge bushy plant in only a few weeks, but I would have expected maybe a few little shoots?

I have them in large tubs, but I'm now wondering if they are in the right location? They are in a shaded spot that never really gets sunlight, as I thought they liked shade? But I just read that they love sun . Any ideas?

 

Also, I know it will be a while yet, but how do I know when to harvest them?

 

Thanks for any help.

[Redwing]

Perhaps puttomg a cloche over the soil will warm up the surface will do the trick if you can't move the tub in to some sunlight

 

I think the foliage is shade tolerant but do think they need a bit of warmth to get going

[girlsmum]

I am planning to put my potatoes in this weekend. They need warmth to get going . Takes a few weeks. Earlies need about 12 weeks before harvesting and maincrop need about 15/16 weeks. However if its cold when they go in you can add a couple of weeks to that.

Hope this helps

 

Girlsmum

[Valkyrie]

Ours are just starting to peek through the plastic - just a few, though, not all. The ones in the open - no sign yet. The two in the greenhouse are growing like mad. So don't worry - the Australians won't be harvesting your spuds! Give them a week or so. Like Redwing says, you can always put something over the top to help them on their way.

[Clash City Rocker]

I've been "chitting" some spuds for a few weeks and am now ready to plant them outside,

so, do I leave all the new sprouting on each potato or just the biggest bit of new sprouting ?

[girlsmum]

I leave all the chits on and have never had any problems. Planted my potatoes this afternoon.

 

Girlsmum

[sparkysmum]

Hi, I planted spme early salad pots in bags some weeks ago - way too early for our temperatures - but they're beginning to come through now. Planted my "in the ground" ones this afternoon. Hoping for a decent crop

[Valkyrie]

Apparently if you knock off the shoots, you will get fewer, but larger spuds. I tried it before, but didn't notice much difference, so we've left all ours on this time.

[cluckingmad]

Hi there

 

PLanted our first earlies in spud bags i nthe greenhouse a few weeks back, got shoots comign through in about 2-3 weeks and how the plants have almost reached the top of the planters, am adding more compost every week it seems to keep them earthed up enough, but the ave. temp in our greenhouse is between 19-24C so will speed things on a fair bit...

[eggypeggy]

As above warm soil will get them going, try and place them in the sun until they get going.

 

Harvesting can be made easy - for new potatoes (small pots) harvest when the flowers appears, for larger pots harvest when the haulm (plant) has withered and turned brown.

 

Hope that helps, I'm sure they'll get going soon.

[xChicken04x]

Hi all, thank you so much for your advice.

I moved the pots into the sun and have since been waiting. Today, armed with the garden fork, I was planning on having a dig about to see what was going on. As I was about to ease the fork in, I noticed something green FINALLY, my potatoes have started growing! On closer inspection I noticed the other two pots had little shoots too, I just hadn't noticed them . I have put a little pile of compost over them, as instructed and will wait and see.

 

 

Thank you all so much!

[Blackrocksrock]

We had a ground frost last night and when I let the chooks out at 7a.m. it was crunchy so too early for me to put things out in the garden yet - I was worried about the greenhouse but all seems well there and I will try and cover everything tonight just in case be!!