Page 27 - ALG Issue 4 2020

the potato crop to mature and become ready for lifting:
• earlies take 10 – 12 weeks
• second earlies take 14 - 16 weeks
• lates/maincrops take 16 – 20+ weeks
Although potatoes aren’t frost hardy, first earlies can be safely planted out
in trenches from early March onwards – but watch out for frost and protect haulms with fleece. They will be protected from any frost damage under the soil and the top growth (haulm) usually emerges above the soil as the threat of frost decreases.
Once the haulm is about 9ins/20cms tall it is ready for the first earthing up. Draw the soil up along the row using a draw hoe or spade leaving just a little of the top leaves visible out of the soil. Wait until the growth has developed by another 9ins/20cms and repeat the process if it is possible carry out this operation once more. The final ridge should be around 2ft/60cms high and should form a deep valley between the rows. The other important job is irrigation of the crop but wait until around flowering time before starting regular watering.
Choose a sunny dry day to lift potatoes. Cut all of the haulms down first and
put them on the compost heap or send them off to the local authority’s recycling centre. Use a garden fork to gently lift the potatoes pushing it into the soil at the base of the earthing up ridge, not down into the soil directly alongside
the remains of the haulm. Leave the harvested potatoes on the surface of the soil for a couple of hours for the skins to dry and harden. Potatoes have to be stored in darkness in breathable sacks to prevent them turning green; only store clean, firm, healthy tubers and check regularly for rot.
Potatoes are vulnerable to quite a few diseases. The most devastating of them is potato blight, sometimes called late potato blight. Blackleg can be more of a problem in the north especially in wetter seasons. Dig up and destroy all affected plants. Common Scab is more prevalent on lime/alkaline soils. It forms small raised patches on the skin of the tubers. It is a nuisance because the potatoes have to be peeled more deeply to get under the scab affected areas. The most common pests are aphids. They can introduce and spread virus problems throughout the crop. Spraying regularly with insecticidal soap will control them. More info: https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ growing-advice/
By Illustrated London News, December 22, 1849 – famine picture credit
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 27