We have finally received our potato barrel kit from Morrisons Lets Grow and I have found we have been sent 2.5kg of Maris Peer. These have really long shoots/ roots - I think they are roots, could they be? How will it be best to plant them - do I need to take off the shoots/ roots? I need to get them cropped by mid July, so I think we have missed the chitting boat :(

Maris Peer are a maincrop spud, the shoots you are reffering too are where the chits would grow they just come out weeker and longer as they have been in the dark. Chitting just gives the spuds a head start, you have 2 options with the shoots on them. 1,rub em off and try and get them to chit in the week or 2 before they are planted. 2, leave them out in a cool light place and the shoots might go darker. But as I said chitting just gives them a head start, you should still get a good crop.

Can I not plant them tomorrow? The pack said second earlies - what does that mean?

Can I not plant them tomorrow? The pack said second earlies - what does that mean?

Your right their 2nd earlies(I get confused with maris piper), SO they will be fine to go in.

As i'm no expert I copied this from another forum.

Potatoes are broadly grouped according to the average number of days of growing to reach maturity (meaning the tubers are at edible size). Different growers will use different classifications. Here are a few designations:
* very early earlies (meaning early, early summer) -- 75 days
* earlies (meaning early summer) -- 90 days
* second earlies (sometimes called mid or maincrop--meaning mid summer) -- 110 days
* maincrop to late maincrop(summer into autumn) -- 135-160 days

Earlies are usually lower yielding and primarily used fresh or called "new" potatoes.

Maincrop potatoes are used fresh or stored.

Potatoes are usually planted in sequence first earlies then mid, then maincrop or late, but potatoes from any group can be planted at any time--earlies can be planted late and maincrops early. Be sure not to run out of growing season as you plan planting.

Thanks for that - these shoots look so different from the ones on my pink fir apples that I am chitting - and really scarily long :o - Im a potato planting novice - you couldn't tell could you :lol: