The rule of thumb with first early pots and second early pots are that when the flowers have formed and dropped they are ready for cropping, there is also a saying '12 week from setting to picking'. If it is your main crop you usually wait for the plants to start to die down so you get a good crop of pots from the plants. Usually 1st early plants are ready in June, 2nd early July and main crops August to Sept. I personally never grow a Main crop as my soil is quite heavy and harvesting them late in the year is very difficult in wet soil, so i tend to grow a 2nd early variety called 'Kestrel' and leave them in until late August and use them as my storing Pots. Hope this helps you, as you can see there aren't always hard fast rules, if you are still in doubt just lift one and see how they are doing.

Thank you Avid Gardener

Yes indeed it does help a lot. I can't remember when I put them in but they are starting to get the flowers now. I had thought to just poke under the soil to see if anything was growing when I thought they might be ready.

Thanks again as I can keep this reference.

All the best
Happy gardening.

I had the same query, long time ago, before GoY came ove rmy horizon. There was plenty of advice on what to grow and when, and where, but nothing on when to harvest. Eventually I put a question on Yahoo Answers and someone said, When they stop flowering, they're ready.

I only plant bought potatoes that I've not eaten soon enough, and they have to go in pots, so my "crop" is never extensive, but Avid Gardener's info is good to know, for future reference

ps: it's a shame one can't add questions to favourites! but hope I can find this one again if/when needed.

Hello Fran

Glad you found this if it helps.
You can always copy and past this info. into your save area on your computer maybe up gardening tips.

Yes an add to favorites on this area would be good. Perhaps send the owners a note to as if it can be done.

All the best.

P.S.
I see your spelling of favorites is different to mine and to spell check in America. In so much of American English they leave out the u in so many words.

I usually copy and paste info into Word, and then file it - the same prob applies to finding Word docs as to urls!

I've added a comment to the GoY maintenance blog re adding questions to faves, it was the only way I could think of to ask.

I'm in UK, and lotsa words have "u"s in them here. I don't spell that way on purpose *s* it''s just the way that's "proper" here. But as most software comes from US, one day US Engiish will be the only one all over the world!

You can contact them on the contact area and send an email to them. I've done that before.

Yeah, I think u could be right about American English, I get confused after learning English English in Ireland then having to learn American English here. It was quite confusing at first, still is sometimes. After so long here I'm not sure which is which is which anymore, but regarding American English interestingly when I have helped children with their homework they get As for the first time. Go figure! ;-) They are so excited!

lol I remember once trying to do a crossword - the answer to one had to be "barbour" but it wouldn't fit. Took me a while to realise that it was an American crossword and "harbor" did fit!

Actually, US English is more logical, words are spelled the way they sound, at least more than in Brit English; but we're all more comfortable with the style we're used to, whether that was acquired in childhood or later

thanks for the contact tip, will make a note - lol if I make sure to save this url so I can find what it was I was looking for!

LOL, I'd never have figured that crossword out had I not lived here.
Yes I agree US English is a bit more logic in it's spelling, but confusing as you've found when one learns the Brit English first.
I was doing home work with a 6 yr. young girl. The word know came up and I was trying to explain the difference between no and know. She asked why was the k there? I said because English is crazy!
Why are there silent letters? I pity anyone trying to learn it as a second language.

Best of luck.