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Seed Potatoes (early Variety)

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  • 31-01-2011 9:08pm
    #1
    Munster Sports Nutrition
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭


    I am looking to sow an eary potato variety and would like to know if anyone knows of anywhere aroung Limerick county or city that I can get my hands on some?

    Thanks.


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    #2
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    You'll probably get them in B&Q in Ballysimon.


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    #3
    Munster Sports Nutrition
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭Munster Sports Nutrition


    Thanks, I will be in that way during the week and will check out B&Q.


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    #4
    Limerick Bandit
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭Limerick Bandit


    Anyone know the name of a good early Potato we could try to find?


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    #5
    Corsendonk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭Corsendonk


    Homeguard and Coleen are two to look for.


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    #6
    lucylu
    Registered Users Posts: 2,111 ✭✭✭lucylu


    sharpes express


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    #7
    Munster Sports Nutrition
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭Munster Sports Nutrition


    Got some earlier today in Atlantic Homecare (Limerick) €7.50 for a bag of 24 -36.

    Also had 2nd earlies, main crop etc.... Have just put them into egg cartons to chitt them


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    #8
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    Garden World beside the Granery I think it's on Ellen or Denmark street.
    They have over 40 types of seed potatoes.
    I usually get Red Duke of York for 1st earlies, not a very heavy cropper but very tasty.


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    #9
    Munster Sports Nutrition
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭Munster Sports Nutrition


    thats impressive, I will have to check Garden World, think I was in their years ago . . . I think ellen street is right.


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    #10
    Corsendonk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭Corsendonk


    I planted Homeguards a week before Xmas in drills in my glasshouse. Covered them using fleece.


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    #11
    disco biscuit
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭disco biscuit


    May Queens are another nice early but it is hard to get them now.


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    #12
    Corsendonk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭Corsendonk


    disco biscuit wrote: »
    May Queens are another nice early but it is hard to get them now.

    Is that another name for British Queens?


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    #13
    Munster Sports Nutrition
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭Munster Sports Nutrition


    I was in Vokes in Adare yesterday getting some tape and they had a good supply of earlies also, better selection than Atlantic Homecare.

    They had all the varieties you have mentioned above. The ones I got in atlantic homecare were "Orlas" not sure what people think of them but maybe I should put a mixture of varieties down instead of just I variety . . . . any suggestions or comments welcome.


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    #14
    Limerick Bandit
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭Limerick Bandit


    Munster Sports Nutrition wrote: »
    I was in Vokes in Adare yesterday getting some tape and they had a good supply of earlies also, better selection than Atlantic Homecare.

    They had all the varieties you have mentioned above. The ones I got in atlantic homecare were "Orlas" not sure what people think of them but maybe I should put a mixture of varieties down instead of just I variety . . . . any suggestions or comments welcome.

    Another good shop near Adare is the garden center in croagh


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    #15
    Paddysnapper
    Registered Users Posts: 227 ✭✭Paddysnapper


    Garden World in Ellen St. is THE place got my first earlies (Jersey Royal) yesterday. They have the best selection and quality in Limerick IMHO:)


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    #16
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    Be careful going into garden world, you could end up buying half the seed potatoes in the shop.
    I've gone in there over the years looking for a half stone of this or that and got carried away when I saw all the different varieties and ended up dragging a couple of 25kg bags out the door with me.
    The best thing to do is know what you want before you go in and also the amount of spuds you need for the area you are going to plant. And once you've got what you've gone in for, run out the door otherwise you could be overcome by spud fever.


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    #17
    deisemum
    Registered Users Posts: 5,588 ✭✭✭deisemum


    Munster Sports Nutrition wrote: »
    I was in Vokes in Adare yesterday getting some tape and they had a good supply of earlies also, better selection than Atlantic Homecare.

    They had all the varieties you have mentioned above. The ones I got in atlantic homecare were "Orlas" not sure what people think of them but maybe I should put a mixture of varieties down instead of just I variety . . . . any suggestions or comments welcome.

    I used a variety of seed potatoes last year, Orla, British Queens, Sarpo Mira, Maris Peer and another variety that I cannot think of at the moment and they were lovely.

    Orla were our first ones and we grew them in bags. We were pleased with them.


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    #18
    Vanhalla
    Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭Vanhalla


    Just checked my seed potatoes there, had them stored in brown paper bags, but the stalk things are growing like mad. should i take them off or what??


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    #19
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    leave the sprouts on. Normally seed potatoes are left out in the light to chit. Sprouting of the seed potatoes is called Chiting. If you look it up on the net you'll see some photo's. If they sprout in the bag the sprouts will be weak and light in colour. You want your sprouts to be dark in colour.
    They usually say if you leave around 2 sprouts on the seed potato you'll get bigger spuds, too many sprouts and you'll get lots of small potatoes.
    If you put the seeds you have now on the window sill the sprouts should darken.


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    #20
    TheDietShop.ie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭TheDietShop.ie


    holmesy wrote: »
    leave the sprouts on. Normally seed potatoes are left out in the light to chit. Sprouting of the seed potatoes is called Chiting. If you look it up on the net you'll see some photo's. If they sprout in the bag the sprouts will be weak and light in colour. You want your sprouts to be dark in colour.
    They usually say if you leave around 2 sprouts on the seed potato you'll get bigger spuds, too many sprouts and you'll get lots of small potatoes.
    If you put the seeds you have now on the window sill the sprouts should darken.

    Thats spot on from what I have readin a good few places, I have my seed potatoes chiting for about a month and they have thick green sprouns about 10mm long. A window shed is an ideal place to chitt them, they recon somewhere they will get a lot of natural light and a temp of around 10 degrees.


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    #21
    MASTER...of the bra
    Closed Accounts Posts: 411 ✭✭MASTER...of the bra


    Anyone see sweet potato(yams) seed about?


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    #22
    TheDietShop.ie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭TheDietShop.ie


    I'd be interested in knowing about sweet potatoes aswell, they make lovely wedges.


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    #23
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    Grew sweet potatoes in the tunnel for the first time last year.
    Don't think you can grow them from seeds, I've heard you can chit the sweet potatoes and plant them or buy the plants or grow them from cuttings.
    I got 2 plants in the local garden center last year.
    You'd want to give them a bit of space as they'll take over the ground like a creeping ivy.
    Got a reasonable crop out of the 2 plants, had the tunnel fully planted when I spotted them in the garden center so they were planted near the door, I suspect they would have done better if I had a spot for them in the middle of the tunnel. I might save them a better spot this year.


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    #24
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    Dug these sweet potatoes in November, didn't know when to harvest them so I just let them grow.


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    #25
    TheDietShop.ie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭TheDietShop.ie


    holmesy wrote: »
    Grew sweet potatoes in the tunnel for the first time last year.
    Don't think you can grow them from seeds, I've heard you can chit the sweet potatoes and plant them or buy the plants or grow them from cuttings.
    I got 2 plants in the local garden center last year.
    You'd want to give them a bit of space as they'll take over the ground like a creeping ivy.
    Got a reasonable crop out of the 2 plants, had the tunnel fully planted when I spotted them in the garden center so they were planted near the door, I suspect they would have done better if I had a spot for them in the middle of the tunnel. I might save them a better spot this year.

    Thanks for the photo. They certainly look like they take up a bit of space, looks like they throw out runners from the photo.


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    #26
    holmesy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭holmesy


    They spread out a good bit. Its like ivy spreading along the ground. I had them beside a couple of pumpkins so they were constantly invading each others space.
    I had the 2 sweet potatoes about 2 feet apart in a 4ft by 4ft bed and they would have take over the whole poly-tunnel if I'd let them off.


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    #27
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    Corsendonk wrote: »
    I planted Homeguards a week before Xmas in drills in my glasshouse. Covered them using fleece.

    How did you get on with that? I have the tunnel this year and would like to sow some early earlies. Were you able to harvest them early enough to make room for summer crops? What was the yield Like? Thanks!


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    #28
    Cardinal Richelieu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Cardinal Richelieu


    redser7 wrote: »
    How did you get on with that? I have the tunnel this year and would like to sow some early earlies. Were you able to harvest them early enough to make room for summer crops? What was the yield Like? Thanks!

    Had to create a new boards account. But moving on, quite good results. I plant them in deep drills on two sites, the first site is sandy soil and the other is heavy clay. The sandy soil heats up quicker so I planted their last. First earlies are never a heavy yield crop but the deep drills does improve yield and I find you leave less behind inthe ground when you dig drills. Easy enough access to hoe in between the drills too.


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    #29
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    Thanks. Thinking of home gaurd. Any thoughts? Seems to be dependable


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    #30
    Cardinal Richelieu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Cardinal Richelieu


    redser7 wrote: »
    Thanks. Thinking of home gaurd. Any thoughts? Seems to be dependable


    Yes I always go with them. Prone to blight but if you keep a weary eye on them when the weather gets warmer and apply treatments then you should be safe. Anyway you will should have them harvested before the main blight season starts. I planted some Homeguards last week.


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    #31
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    Wow, that's so early it's late :-) Thanks for the info


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