Author Topic: Planting potatoes. (Read 5050 times)

tim · « **on:** February 25, 2006, 17:09:09 »

Dan Pearson reminds us today that Good Friday is the traditional first date. Or one week after the last frost. If the latter, we'd be waiting until mid-June!!

We regularly get them until the end of April.

Rose.mary · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2006, 19:37:59 »

How do we know when it is the last frost? ??? ???

Rosemary

Zippy Seale · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2006, 19:44:04 »

2nd week in March, then I plant and cover each row with 3-4 inches of straw as a safety net.
I check to see it the plant is showing and then lift the straw off and just keep it around the plant. and if there is a frost alwert. just replace and cover the plant.

amanda21 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2006, 19:44:39 »

These things always seem a bit odd as Good Friday can be anything March 20 and April 23! Quite late this year though.

Alimo · « **Reply #4 on:** February 26, 2006, 12:58:46 »

My husband tells me that his Granddad always planted his potatoes on his birthday - March 12th. But down here (west cornwall) potatoes have been in fields for quite a while now.

I'm going to stick with Granddad and plant them on his birthday - nice way to remember him. :)

Alison

BTW I've got some in the greenhouse in pots - just started to appear. Yippee early earlies ;D

Debs · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2006, 21:00:20 »

Good idea Alimo - early earlies.

I shall put some of my earlies in pots too and leave in greenhouse which

is currently heated between 10 - 15 C

Might as well give it a go with a few tubers...

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2006, 23:36:48 »

I'd have thought you could plant in February in West Cornwall. One of my beekeeping books has a map giving a guide to how the time of the arrival of spring varies across the UK; your area is put down as a wek ahead of London, but having lived in Cornwall for years, I think that's an underestimate as far as plants are concerned; it's probably more accurate for bees.

Common_Clay · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2006, 01:49:42 »

Read somewhere else that the Irish way of planting is reliable (no, not rose end down), but on St. Patrick's day, 17th March.
Celtic_Growers, thanks for the straw tip... where's the cheapest place to get it from, is the petshop the best bet? Thanks.

Zippy Seale · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2006, 05:05:42 »

get my from local stables. £2 a bail.
local farms are a good place

supersprout · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2006, 08:52:09 »

I like to put a comfrey leaf in the planting hole with the spud, so when the comfrey leaves are big enough to pull is an indicator of when to plant. Mine (bocking) are just sprouting now, so I reckon 2nd/3rd week in March will be right.

Zippy Seale · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2006, 12:53:52 »

Quote from: Common_Clay on February 27, 2006, 01:49:42

Read somewhere else that the Irish way of planting is reliable (no, not rose end down), but on St. Patrick's day, 17th March.
Celtic_Growers, thanks for the straw tip... where's the cheapest place to get it from, is the petshop the best bet? Thanks.

I guarantee no decent Irish man will be out in a field on Paddy's day, the only thing he will be planting is his backside to a stool in a bar....lol

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2006, 13:18:42 »

It is usually the Easter weekend for ours, though it does depend on the weather. In our trench we put well rotted manure and grass to lay the potatoes on, though I have even heard of paper being used and also seaweed. I think it is like leeks and broad beans everybody has their own little foible. :D busy_lizzie

Dadnlad · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2006, 20:39:27 »

Quote from: Celtic_Growers on February 25, 2006, 19:44:04

2nd week in March, then I plant and cover each row with 3-4 inches of straw as a safety net.
I check to see it the plant is showing and then lift the straw off and just keep it around the plant. and if there is a frost alwert. just replace and cover the plant.

CG - ask the farmer for spoilt straw..... its a bit damp(& heavier) but just as good for tatter mulching but usually FREE ! 8)

Garden Manager · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2006, 18:54:48 »

In a recent Amateur Gardening magazine Anne Swithinbank was planting her early potatoes in the middle of february! Mind You she does garden in a mild part of Devon ::). I was thinking the begining of march for mine - with the benefit of a fleece cover. Now i am not so sure. I have only just managed to get a cover on the soil where they are to go, to warm the soil up. Might have to wait a bit for the weather to warm up.

Mind you I recently dug over a couple of my veg beds and the soil was fine (moist but not wet and easy to dig) - if a little cold, so with a bit of warmth (ha ha! ::)) it should be ready to plant in a couple of weeks. (fingers crossed ;)).

I reckon though in milder areas if you insulate your potato planting (say straw in the trench then covered with fleece or a cloche), an early planting should still be possible.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2006, 22:11:55 »

I go by the weather; my onions and potatoes will be going in next time we have a warm spell, if it lasts long enough to plant them all.

Hyacinth · « **Reply #15 on:** March 01, 2006, 12:48:14 »

Quote from: busy_lizzie on February 27, 2006, 13:18:42

It is usually the Easter weekend for ours, though it does depend on the weather. In our trench we put well rotted manure and grass to lay the potatoes on, though I have even heard of paper being used and also seaweed. I think it is like leeks and broad beans everybody has their own little foible. :D busy_lizzie

Didn't I read to avoid manuring the space the tats are going to go cos of scab? Or doesn't it matter? Bit confused now. New Tattie Grower - Lishka

Garden Manager · « **Reply #16 on:** March 01, 2006, 12:55:07 »

No Alishka. Too much lime in the soil (or any limey compost used to improve the soil such as mushroom compost) encourages scab. If you apply lime or the soil is naturaly limey then you will get scab (I do). It has nothing to do with applying manure.

As far as manure goes, apply as much as you can as potatoes love it. I dont need to tell you it should be well rotted manure do I?. If you practice rotation then you only need to manure for potatoes, subsequent crops (such as leeks, roots or onions) dont need the soil to be so rich.

Hope this helps.

Hyacinth · « **Reply #17 on:** March 01, 2006, 13:38:37 »

Quote from: Garden Cadet on March 01, 2006, 12:55:07

No Alishka. Too much lime in the soil encourages scab.

As far as manure goes, apply as much as you can as potatoes love it. I dont need to tell you it should be well rotted manure do I?.

Of course it's lime! Senior Moment there ;) but...errrr...no, didn't need to be told about the w/rotted - still 3 years, is it? ;D

Garden Manager · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2006, 17:47:47 »

Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on March 01, 2006, 13:38:37

Quote from: Garden Cadet on March 01, 2006, 12:55:07
No Alishka. Too much lime in the soil encourages scab.

As far as manure goes, apply as much as you can as potatoes love it. I dont need to tell you it should be well rotted manure do I?.

Of course it's lime! Senior Moment there ;) but...errrr...no, didn't need to be told about the w/rotted - still 3 years, is it? ;D

About a year i'd say, or when the stuff no longer steams or smells I believe. Whatever is sooner. Just not really fresh stuff thats all. Of course if you realy WANT to wait 3 years........

grawrc · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2006, 20:09:10 »

I reckon my first earlies will wait about another week, max two then they're going in. I'm putting fleece down at the weekend, then I'll lift and plant after a few days of soil warming. Planting deepish and earthing up, then covering with fleece.

News:

Author Topic: Planting potatoes. (Read 5050 times)