Time to plant appearance for Estima potatoes?

[Rhys]

Charles

I decided to give Estima a go this year based on your recommendation last year and was wondering what a ‘normal’ time is for plants to start appearing?

I sowed Estima and Arran Pilot on 5th April and 10/12 Arran Pilots are already through, whereas 0/25 Estimas are. Both have been sown in a ‘no dig’ fashion, pushed into the over-wintered compost mulch and then covered with compost.

I’m not worried yet, just interested in knowing whether its closer to 25 days than 15?!

Out of interest, I found an errant Arran Pilot emerging in my newly sown onion bed and it emerged exactly as my 2015 plants started emerging on the other side of the garden! Clearly I didn’t dig deep enough last year to get them all out……and it does suggest that potato strains have some kind of ‘sense’ as to when it’s time to break cover…….

[charles]

Arran Pilot is a first early variety so its normal that it appears first. Esteem is second early and takes longer, partly it depends if there were shoots (chits) already growing at planting time. I would not worry, they will soon be up.

[Rhys]

The Estimas did have chits, but not as precocious as the Arran Pilot ones. It was similar with the Sarpo Miras for some reason or other. The Desirees, Casablancas, Kestrels and Arran Pilots all produced big ones, the other two rather smaller sproutings.

[Rhys]

First plant poked its head through today, 23/4. Hopefully it’s the start of all 25 emerging!

[Stringfellow]

Hey Rhys, glad you have some growth visible. I’m trying Casablanca this year for the first time and they are showing through the compost under fleece, which is great. Have you grown them before? If so, I guess they tasted good 🙂

[Rhys]

Hi Stringfellow

No, I’ve not grown Casablanca’s before – a seriously good local grower who won all the prizes in the village show last year was growing them, so I thought I”d have a go. I’m doing them in exhibition bags – the first were sown last week, the second lot in the first week of May. We’ll see how they do.

The Estimas are now 17/25 through after 3 weeks, so cutting tubers in half doesn’t seem to be a problem (I had a few rot during the chitting, so was a few short of 25). Also says that Charles’ ‘no-dig’ approach to early potatoes can work with a cack-handed novice!!

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