Topic: Which Earthing Up Technique Do You Use?

[Digitalis]

Last year I grew two varieties of spuds- Maris Peer and King Edward.

I used two different earthing up techniques.

With the Maris Peer I earthed up in two stages- once after the stems emerged, and again when they were around 10cm tall.

With the King Edwards I earthed up at the same time as planting the seed spuds, i.e. before the stems emerged.

There was no difference in the amount of yield.

Is one method better than the other?

I prefer to earth up at the time of planting, but would this not exhaust the stems by starving them of light for a week or two more?

 

[Stevens706]

I follow your method as your Maris Peer and earth up twice

[Tee Gee]

As you have found this in my opinion is  an either / or situation, meaning you can do what suits you best!

I think the later earthing up is better as a rule simply because you can form the ridge to suit the emerging haulms.

When doing at planting time you seem to find the haulms emerge out of the side of the ridge meaning the potatoes that will eventually form have potentially less cover!

But as I said its either /or

[chriscross1966]

As long as I can get the Howard 400 fired up (needs some tweaking ATM)  then I'll do it the way my dad did with his Gem... you rotavate in with a potato ridger, put the spuds in the trenches created, then rotovate back down the ridges to cover the trenches over with new ridges.....

Of course I'm not growing on the scale dad did forty odd years ago (family of five to feed and he pretty much grew all the veg) but he reckoned it turned the potato planting from something that was a back-breaking Easter weekend plus a couple of other weekend days around that time to something that got done in a slightly long Saturday morning (he'd be down there at around 7am and finish around 2pm) in late March.....

chrisc

[PAULW]

I run over the ground with the cultivator then set a line and plant the spuds with a bulb planter, then I pull the ridges up I reckon this will give me about six weeks before the shoots start to show, then I cover the whole lot in straw to keep the weeds down and the moisture in.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I grow them on the flat and mulch like mad.

[Digindep]

As said above this realy is an either or situation....Last year I was very busy, work wise, and decided to earth up as I planted....only to find as again mentioned above, the halums grew out in all directions...solution was to re- earth up.....lost a few tatties ..cos' they grew out of the sides of the origional earthing up ( turned green-sunlight )....also when earthing up the second time there was a lack of soil to do so...solution ...plenty of compost...eventually a great crop....but! as much work...
Leave that one with you's all to ponder....cheers....

[Digitalis]

I've not had the problem of the haulms growing out in all directions when I earthed up at the time of planting......lucky!

Would the earthing up at the time of planting starve the seed potato in the same way seeds get exhausted if planted too deep? (i.e. they use up all their energy trying to get to the light, but die before they do reach the open)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I find minute accidentals sprouting from several inches down, so I doubt it!

[cornykev]

I'm no expert but my guess would be no.     ;D ;D ;D

[Jayb]

From what I remember, farmers plant and earth up their potatoes all in one go.

[Digitalis]

From what I remember, farmers plant and earth up their potatoes all in one go.

That's what I assumed.

[lewic]

I planted most of mine way too close together so couldnt do much earthing up, and most of them were ok.

[rutters]

I've just bought some pea and bean seeds with instructions to earth up. Anyone do it with these or just potatoes?

cheers

[manicscousers]

we sometimes 'earth up' peas  with grass cuttings, keeps the moisture in  ;D

[rutters]

Good idea..thanks ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I mulch both peas and beans, though I wouldn't earth up as such. They don't root from the stems, so there's no point.

[Squash64]

A chap on our site earths up his carrots.