Topic: Do you earth up over potato leaves?

[bluehousehill]

Sorry to ask a question about earthing up I have noticed loads on here recently.. all of my potatos have come up lovely so I have just left them as they look really good.. do I need to earth over the leaves? I was working away for a week and everything has really grown its unbelivably good ;D cheers

[cambourne7]

You dont want to cover all the leaves as this is coverting the sun into food for your plant ;)

[bluehousehill]

Thanks for that cambourne that makes perfect sense to me :-[ I can always rely on you to get back to me thank you ;D ;)

[Fork]

You need to earth up your potatoes to mininmise any that might grow near the surface turning green with the sunlight....the green is toxic.

You can also cover the leaves...they will soon poke through again.This needs to be done especially if there is a danger of frost....like tonight!

[cambourne7]

gosh i had expected to be past the point of frosts  :'(

[Fork]

Temps down to 3c forecast here for the next few days!

[RobinOfTheHood]

Metcheck has it down as low as -2 for us tomorrow!   :o

Hope I've enough paraffin.......

[manicscousers]

here, metcheck gives 0 degrees, bbc 5 degrees, think we'll cover the squash, can't do any harm  :)

[cambourne7]

metcheck has 4 degrees here so i should be ok till monday night when its down to 1 ;)

[Crystalmoon]

Ive been using grass cuttings to 'earth' up my spuds & almost totally covering them. Seems to be working well sofar & helps retain moisture when its hot & helps to keep warm when weathers cold  ;)

[Fork]

Sharp frost last night and much the same temps forecast for tonight too.

Just earthed up my spuds again as much as I can but will be up very early to wash the frost off my delicates before the sun scorches the leaves.

[Kea]

If you don't earth up you won't get as many tubers. Potatoes are an odd plant, a stolon is produced and if it finds itself above ground it produces leaves but if it is underground it produces tubers. As you're wanting as many tubers as possible you need to make sure plenty of stolons are under the soil.

[Gazfoz]

Thanks Kea for that one :)