This is what I got from two 12" pots - it weighed just over 700 grams:
They are lovely clean tubers, aren't they? They are good examples of the classic kidney shape that characterises Charlotte. Only one of them had any sign of scab, and that was miniscule. I'm well pleased with these.
This is what the plants looked like before harvesting. The flowers had fallen off and the leaves and stems (jointly known to gardeners as "haulm") had begun to turn yellow.
I think if I had left them a couple of weeks longer I would have had a slightly bigger harvest, because there were several still very tiny tubers on the plants, so I have decided to try an experiment - re-planting them. I carefully re-planted the plants in big pots of moist compost, trying hard not to knock off the tiny tubers still attached to the roots. It's possible that the plants will re-grow, and produce new leaves and tubers, but even if they don't I won't have lost much. If the experiment succeeds I might have home-grown new potatoes in November! Since they are in pots it should be relatively easy to protect them from frosts.
P.S. Yesterday I found a new source of potato-growing containers - our local butcher's shop. They get things like "Chinese marinade" in huge plastic pots, which normally get thrown away. The butcher was quite happy to let me have one, and more in the future on request. I only took one initially because I want to be sure that I can remove all traces of the pungent marinade before I start growing veggies in the thing!
P.P.S We're off on holiday for a few days now, so I won't be doing any commenting for a while, though if Blogger does its thing you will be regaled by daily posts from me as usual.
We like Charlotte and grow that variety most years.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is an inspiration - thank you so very much for sharing, wonderful photos and top tips. Just starting from scratch so a long way to go before I have such beauties to show off.
ReplyDeleteYou well should be pleased with those great looking potatoes!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you got that many from a 12" pot - did you just put one potato in. I grew my Charlottes in a large green potato sack and put 3 in each sack and only got as many as you did. What's your secret Mark?
ReplyDeleteFabulous potatoes - thats a great return for that pot size. What do you feed them? Have a lovely break.
ReplyDeleteThey are perfect!, a little steam, a knob of butter - heaven!
ReplyDeleteOk..you've inspired me to turn over my potato pots! Yours look lovely..I bet they will be super creamy!! Have a great get-a-away!
ReplyDeleteSuch perfect potatoes. Must taste delicious.
ReplyDeleteGood haul Mark, I get similar from the 17 litre polypots I've grown mine in, one seed potato per bag. My record weight this year was just shy of 5 lb but that was a maincrop variety NVS Amour which were lovely roasted. Good luck with the experiment, not sure is the plants will grow back but it's worth a try!
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