Potato Troubles

[Im not hungry]

Hello Everyone

Setting the scene!
Well I've planted 1st & 2nd earlies (1 x row each 4m long) and Main crop (3 x rows 4m long)

My second earlies have broken out from the ground, but my first earlies have not. They were both plated at the same depth and both chitted for the same durtation? I know i'm getting ahead of things but how do I know which to harvest when the time comes? Will the 2nd earlies be ready for lifting before the 1st earlies?

Thistles have popped up along my potato row. There are not loads of them but there is a few. I don't want to dig them up for obvious reasons so does anyone know what to do?


Thanks for any help

Paul

[johnmichael]

Which ever finish flowering first.

[Hammer]

Hello Im not hungry, I think that your first earlies are just a bit slow off the mark this year, as many are, but they will overhaul the second earlies when they do show because they do grow more quickly - don,t worry.
More of a concern are the Thistles, i assume there were no thistles showing when you set your Potatoes. Thistles can be stimulated to grow by secretions from Potato Tubers and can be very persistent and hard to get rid of, I would wait until all your potatoes are just showing above ground so you know exactly where they are - then go after the thistles one by one - do not pull them up as this will leave some roots in the ground and they will be back - try to dig all of the root out and bin them - your potatoes will put up with a little disturbance at this stage. If you do this and small thistles start to re-appear then the only thing is a carefully used contact spray to spot spray and kill the thistles - Glycophosphate i think will do the job but if you are Organic all i can say is dig the roots out.

Regards and Good Luck Hammer

[Im not hungry]

Hammer

thanks for the advice. If I get rid of the mole I will tackle to thistles!!

cheers