By Steveg1966
West Yorkshire,
United Kingdom 
Having established my first early should be lifted approx 12 weeks after planting. the calendar sagest they should be lifted in 3 weeks I have had a feel under the earthed up plants and tubers have not formed yet so with all the cold weather in April/May will this have slowed growth down and will they form a little late.
4 Jun, 2012
Answers
Not all potatoes varieties flower Snoopdog
5 Jun, 2012
They are Arran Pilot is a first early.
5 Jun, 2012
mine too steveg 12 weeks is only a guide. we've had rotten weather and mine are coming along slowly. Patience is a virtule so they say
5 Jun, 2012
No Snoopdog I'm not 'nit picking' to state that potatoes are ready to harvest after they flower could mean someone thinks their potatoes are not ready when what they have is a non-flowering variety.
5 Jun, 2012
That's what is so interesting with this site, that no matter how experienced you may be (or think you may be), you can learn something new every day. That fact was something that I didn't know. And yes, MG, you're dead right. It seems that some, especially modern varieties have had the flowering aspect bred out of them.
7 Jun, 2012
Lord knows why the've bred the flowering out Jimmy - but I'm sure they have a good reason for doing!
7 Jun, 2012
In a word yes!
You could try " firkling" this is where you carefully scrape back some of the soil at the base of the plant/ s to expose the tubers.
If you find they have not matured enough cover them up again with soil, and try again some time later!
4 Jun, 2012