Potato flowers

Potato flowers

My potatoes (Vales Emerald, a first early) are starting to flower. Once the flowers die back I will have a root around and see whether they’re ready to be dug up. It’s nice to have a photographic record of things like this in the garden, because they’re so fleeting. There’s only a few days this year when the potatoes will be flowering.

If you’re also a keen garden photographer, and you’ll be in the north east this summer, then pop along to the Alnwick Garden. I’ve somehow ended up on their mailing list, and it looks like a really fun place, but it’s a long way north from here and I’ve never been (and currently have no plans to go).

Together with the Guardian, they’re running a garden photography competition this year. Not only are they giving free entry to photographers on certain days (June 14 – 15, June 21 – 22, July 5 – 6 and August 2 – 3), but the competition winners will get a lifetime family membership to the garden.

Posted 6 June 2008, 05:50.   Posted in .

3 Comments for Potato flowers

  1. I’m off to visit Alnwick garden in July. Friends say it’s very impressive – I hope so!

    easygardener · Jun 8, 06:13 PM

  2. Is that how you know when to dig them up? Not long after the flowers? I thought you had to wait until the plant more or less died back?

    My earlies are in flower to. It’d be great to think that we’re that close to our first potatoes!

    mike · Jun 17, 10:57 PM

  3. I think with early potatoes you leave them in the ground as long as you can stand waiting :)

    Have a dig down and see how big your spuds are and whether they’re ready to be dug up or whether they need a bit longer!

    Emma · Jun 19, 10:34 AM

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