Potatoes lifted later in season went to gluey mush during boiling
Spudz
Posts: 1
Hi, I grew 3 varieties in my plot this year. Maris piper, desiree and arran victory. Arran victory was a particular favourite of mine growing up.
The first potatoes of all three varieties boiled beautifully, however the last batches lifted, all turned gluey mush when boiling. The parts next the skin that boiled first were soggy mushed glue, and the middle was still rock solid - same from all the potatoes (all planted at the same time, under the same conditions). I cannot figure out what has gone wrong. The first potatoes lifted were wonderful, that later ones awful. We had an unusually dry and warm autumn this year (Sept / Oct), could this have been a factor?
0
Posts
I think the problem arose because you left them in the ground too long. Potatoes should all be harvested at the same time, and - if main crop - they can be stored for a long time, given the right conditions - i.e. dry, dark and frost-free.
Perhaps you'd not realised that the UK-produced potatoes we buy year-round have in fact been stored for months in some instances.
I lift first early in june seconds in july and main in august or september never had any problems.
Always lift by if possible the third week of July, and store in a dry shed, pest damage is my problem if left in the ground too long.