The Great Spud Challenge 2010

[cornykev]

Hi all, its back by popular demand, well, Tonybloke was interested anyway.
Again its just for a bit of fun, so no knockers or negativitours.
The rules are no heated greenhoues or the like.
You can plant in bags, pots, buckets, tubs or straight in the ground.
You can use carpet, bubblewrap, fleece, paper, polythene or small cloches.
No polytunnels, I suppose some of you will only have raised beds, an avantage I grant but what can we do.
As I've said its only a bit of fun, I'm only using 6 spuds, so for gods sake don't anybody start putting all your earlies in.
Start date 13/14 Feb or 20/21 Feb, I was thinking the later one so as to give our Northern cousins time to clear their snowmen.
Dig up date same as last year, Trevor D and Tonyblokes birthday's 5th/7th June.
Well tell us what you think.  
My puter going to be fixed tonight so I don't know if I can get on the laptop later.
Corny.    

[manicscousers]

go on then, corny, I've got a bit of ground I can cover up 

[cornykev]

I knew you was going to be first Scousers.   

[Sparkly]

What are you looking for? earliest potatoes? largest crop from planting that weekend?

[cornykev]

Earliest if you want, but if everyone digs up on the weekend of 5/7 of June with a meal for two with at least golf ball size. 

[grannyjanny]

Is photographic evidence required?

[Sparkly]

I'm up for it, although none of our seed potatoes have been delivered yet!

[davyw1]

Earliest if you want, but if everyone digs up on the weekend of 5/7 of June with a meal for two with at least golf ball size. 

The 5/7 of June you are having a laugh mine will have just poked their heads through then and that,s only if the grounds thawed out by March.
Bloomin southerners have all the good weather grumble, moan, whinge, lifting lip off the floor

[!mpetuous]

Earliest if you want, but if everyone digs up on the weekend of 5/7 of June with a meal for two with at least golf ball size. 

The 5/7 of June you are having a laugh mine will have just poked their heads through then and that,s only if the grounds thawed out by March.
Bloomin southerners have all the good weather grumble, moan, whinge, lifting lip off the floor

Aye, but that is why they have such a soft underbelly and all drink lager top Davy.

[davyw1]

LAGER DRINK LARGER you mean people actually drink larger. ooooooooppppppppps of topic

[cornykev]

If you two whingers have finnished, how about using some of that hot air to warm the soil and if your in the chair mines a stella.  

[Deb P]

Any variety we like? I might have a go in one of my raised beds under cloches...

[Jeannine]

OK, I will have go  I should have my lottie by that date,  does it matter what kind?XX Jeannine

[reddyreddy]

I'm in! Am going to get the plastic out this am and get warming!

[chriscross1966]

The 5/7 of June you are having a laugh mine will have just poked their heads through then and that,s only if the grounds thawed out by March.
Bloomin southerners have all the good weather grumble, moan, whinge, lifting lip off the floor

"Grounds thawed out by March"?.... you were lucky..... etc etc.....

[Digeroo]

I'm in for a challenge.  But as of yesterday my southern soil was totally frozen solid.  Actually colder here than on the coast. 

Any suggestions as to variety.   Does it have to be on the lottie?  the north west wind will blow, things a lot warmer in the garden which is fenced in.  Also I can dash out with hot water bottles if things get a bit chilly.

[reddyreddy]

is it cheating to hairdryer the soil beforehand 

[Jeannine]

 Is it cheating to plant in Canada, it is warmer here!!!  XX Jeannine

[emmy1978]

I'll play too but this is my first year of growing up in Staffs so lawd knows what'll happen!

[plot51A]

Count me in please. Just been over to Poundland and got some special Challenge Spuds, Pentland Javelin with some nice little chits on them  They will go into buckets or pots on my patio.