The Great Spud Challenge 2010

[cornykev]

I took the covers off my soil earlier and tipped some council compost over it and shall plant out three rockets tomorrow. 

[Flighty]

Fingers crossed the handful of Foremost I bought specially for this challenge will be planted out early next week! 

[mummybunny]

Beautiful sunny day here in Bristol am tempted to plant my spuds  Hasnt rained for about 4 days so soil is dry and have had the area covered since i dug it over. What do you think?

Lucy

[Trevor_D]

I gottem in!!

The ground on our lower plot - the sheltered one - was looking good yesterday, so this morning I planted eight Lady C. No cover, but I earthed them up slightly. Fingers crossed!

[cornykev]

I planted four rocket this afternoon
I dug a hole and put some shredded paper in the hole
Then put in the spud and covered with council compost and the soil mixed together
Then put some warmer compost on top
Then covered with a water bottle cloche.
 

[Digeroo]

I had thought that the south would beat the north but at the moment the night time temperatures are actually warmer in the north.  The high pressure is sucking the cold from central europe across the south while in scotland the wind is coming off the north atlantic.  Very cold a few nights ago more than an inch of ice in the water butt so hope the tatties still ok. 

[realfood]

It depends where you are in Scotland. Here in Glasgow it was down to -6c last night inside my bubble wrap tent inside the greenhouse, so still too early to sow in there I think. Outside ground frozen solid, so too early for potatoes!! I have covered my early potato bed with clear polythene to try and warm up the soil.

[Jeannine]

Hey ho.. I got some Charlottes via a very special person in the UK,..... ssshh.....a million thanks again.

They are now planted  and I have dug up the mystery  supermarket ones planted in pots that the squirrells kept nicking .Charlotte and her sisters are being treated like Queens in my bedroom pots, they are not going anywhere near a place that the squirrells can get them till John has made the wire netting lids he had promised

I feel I am in the land of the living again..but still no seed spuds available here yet!!!

Whoever wins this can't possibly feel any better than I do with my beloved Charlottes.. but I am going for broke now!!!

XX Jeannine

[gwynnethmary]

My one "kestrel" which I popped into a black sack in the unheated conservatory three weeks ago is showing a bit of leaf!  I've been away for a week in sunny Scotland, so I don't know when it actaully showed through.  How big should I let it grow before I cover it with more compost?

[Flighty]

Gwynnthmary this may be of help!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/helen-yemm/7250881/Helen-Yemm-Growing-new-potatoes-in-containers.html

[Flighty]

I planted a handful of Foremost earlies in the ground this morning!   

[Jayb]

Oops should have posted this a few days ago, 3 Arran Pilot planted in raised bed on 6th March, earthed up, but no fleece no nothing

Also planted some more Arran Pilot and Pentlan Javlin in the polytunnel and a few in bags in the greenhouse just to see how they compare to the garden ones.

[Mrs Gumboot]

Thanks for the link Flighty - that reassures me about the amount of compost I'm going to be ploughing through 

Still haven't planted mine - waiting for keys to new house so I don't have one more heavy thing to lug through. Wonder if the solicitor will move quicker if I tell him the tattys need planting

[lottie lou]

stuck 3 - 4 in black sack in greenhouse towads end of Februay.  Haven't seen ANYTHING come through yet!!

[brownowl23]

My bag of spuds have all produced some wonderful leaves so ive earthed them up a bit and hope to have some great spuds on 5th June.

The rest of my first earlies went in today and I hop eot have one of my lots of second earlies in the ground tomorrow. With maincrops in next week or the week after.

[Mortality]

Nothing happening with my single potato in a pot 

[cornykev]

I've put a few more rockets in a pot in my back garden.     

[Jeannine]

I have an assorment of heritage spuds en route froma spud breeder and some TSP as well so I think spuds are going to be fun this year.
XX Jeannine

[cornykev]

I've just come back from the lottie and planted two lines of rocket.   

[realfood]

Planted two rows of early potatoes today. Soil temperature was 8c after being covered with clear polythene for a week. Amazed at the Swift potatoes that I planted in a bucket in the greenhouse about three weeks ago. They have now reached the top of the bucket!