Early ‘Queens’
Growing potatoes in bags is very popular but is it worth the effort? This year I grew some ‘British Queens’ – the most popular ‘early ‘ in this part of the world – in bags and planted some outside. The cold, stop/start spring meant that I could not plant them outside till April and they only showed their heads a week or so ago. The bagged spuds have been outside for a week or so too, because I needed the room inside and, inevitably, the tops got bent, but not snapped, and they look a bit ragged but the foliage is sprawling over the gravel and there are flowers coming. That is generally a sign that tubers are forming so I will empty a bag at the end of the week. Hopefully that will mean I will have some ‘Queens’ before they appear in the shops.
The bags are not pretty but they are growing well and I am hoping for a decent crop. They started life in the greenhouse, planted in early March. Early potatoes should be ready to harvest about 10 weeks after planting so it shouldn’t be long now.
In the open garden things are not so advanced. I have ‘earthed up’ the growths which is useful, earlier in the season, to protect new growth from frost but it also helps control weeds (in this case a carpet of chickweed seedlings) and to help keep light off developing tubers
let me know what time tea is please some nice sirloin steak would go a treat with those
I am emptying a bag this afternoon so i will let you know how they have done 🙂