Topic: Shredded paper

[caroline7758]

Should you always wet shredded paper when adding it to a trench before planting? As I dug up my pathetic potato crop today I found some dry and completely unrotted paper on my fork. I know it's been a dry year but wonder if I made it worse by not soaking the paper at planting time?

[Bill Door]

I may be out of step here but i would put the paper in dry and then soak it.

When filling back the trench i would put a drain pipe(any size will do) in vertically.  Then when dry you can spray the water into the area under the potatoes via the pipe.  Watch you don't over water though.

My potatoes were also rubbish this year and i tried several ways at planting time none really worked for me.  So back to trying again next year.  Good luck to you as well.

Bill

[lincsyokel2]

i put 160 seed tates in, they didnt stand a chance. The last frost in may got the first lot of top growth, then just as they were coming back, Early Leaf Blight wiped out any that dared survive.

[Kepouros]

Put the paper in first, then soak it before you backfill, otherwise it will draw the moisture out of the soil.  Personall I would prefer to add the shreddedpaper to either the compost heap or (better) the leaf pile, and use the composted material for planting the potatoes.  Incidentally, I have always believed that there is little point in placing compost etc under the seed tubers.  The roots grow from the collarettes around the base of the new shoots and mainly fan outwards, so I always place my compost or leaf mould around, and even over, the seed tubers.  This has the added advantage that when I dig the potatoes they come up much cleaner.

[caroline7758]

Thanks. Luckily I only planted two rows of spuds this year so not a huge loss but still frustrating.

[lavenderlux]

I mix my shredded paper with kitchen vegetable waste (which is usually wet) and then put it in the compost bin - breaks down quickly with the help of the red brandling worms
My potato crop is also terrible this year