Topic: Now here it comes Spuds/Tomatoes

[TULIP-23]

Sorry Folks it might seem dumb ::)

When the potatoes come through !!  How often must you cover them with earth[ By coming through I mean the leaves]
are about 4/6" above the surface ???

With Tomatoes must you always pinch out the Flower part!! ??? Is that right... or must you pinch out between!!

gain sorry but its my First growing season really would like to get it right!! ;)

For the Forthcoming help and advice  My thanks Mike

[redimp]

Depends who you speak to - some say up to the top leaves every couple of weeks, others say up to the top leaves once only when the haulm is about * high.  I think I might try both as I have at least two rows of each variety.

* sorry cannot remember how high - check out Dr (if it moves poison it) Hessayon's Expert Gardener as he advises the 'once only' method.  If I find the book in the meantime I shall amend this post.

[TULIP-23]

Redclanger :D

What do we mean by the Haulm [ is that the shoot with the leaves]??

I think... but no sure that [ Earthing-up begins around 8-10"]

But then how high do you go with the Earthing -up!!

[redimp]

Haulm is the potatoes stem and the way I understand it you earth up to just under the top most leaves so that the plant can still photosynthesise

[TULIP-23]

Redclanger ;D

Simple when you know how....thank you

[philcooper]

Tulip,

I'm with RC on the spuds, keep earthing up every 4 - 6" leaving some leaves showing

On Toms don't pinch out the flowers.

With bush (also known as determinant) tomatoes do nothing (except harvest the toms when ripe)

With cordon (also known as indeterminant) pinch out the sideshoots (the branches that emerge just above leaf joints where there are no flowers) Picture below (but don't let them get as big as this - remove as soon as they are big enough to pinch out)


Phil

[TULIP-23]

Phil :D

As always sound advice and help....very clear now
and thanks for the Picture it speaks more than a thousands words!!   Great Help Phil.

[tim]

Tomatoes. And if they are that big, Tulip, pot them up for later toms.

Potatoes.  I only cover the leaves with the earlies - when they are not too huge - when frost is expected.

[TULIP-23]

Tim  ;)  Good Morning to you

Likewise......the same as Phil      Many Thanks for the Sound advice a great helpas always.  Mike

[ruud]

Hi mike,tim is right about the sideshoots wenn they are so big you can use them as cuttings.Sideshouts are in holland called dieven,translated as thieves in english.Nice name they steal from the plant.In the states they are often called suckers.Potatoes i have earthend up to a feet,but the main thing is that the new potatoes arent on the surface and turn green.

[TULIP-23]

Hi Ruud :)  Good Afternoon to you from Uden

Thanks so much for the Information....if anyone knows their Tomatoes [ You do ] Thats fine  thank you very much for the  help.

I'll keep a good eye on the [ Dieven] and also make sure that I earth up the Pots as neccessary....then I hope things will work out.

Groet Mike

[wardy]

Do spuds need earthing up for any other reason than frost?

[redimp]

It increases yield and stops the uppermost potatoes going green.  I think.

[philcooper]

Wardy,

RC is dead right. It also has the advantage of killing off weeds (if they haven't been crowded out by the potato haulms)

This killing of weeds leads to the "myth" that potatoes clean the land - it's really all the effort that you put in to looking after them throughout the season

Phil

[wardy]

What would happen if I didn't earth up?  Mine are under black plastic but poking through by about a foot in places

[tim]

Plastic? Now she tells us!!

Well, they'll be alright then, & the weeds will be smothered per se??

[TULIP-23]

This is really for Tim or Phil

Another Question!!  It place of the Traditional Trench system What I did was the Following

[1] Dug over the plot for the Pots so that the Ground was soft.
[2] Then from each side made a mound of  Earth

[3] Pushed the Pots into the Mound about 4/5"
 
[4]Then covered them and flatted the Top of the Mound with the spad
[5] the Haulms poking out about/between 3-6"overall
at the moment

We have had torrential rain for a few days I think alot of the Loose earth as been washed off.
Im now waitng for the weather to improve....are'nt we all!!   Then plan to cover them to the Top leaves with earth  Is that OK or do I now cover them COMPLETELY!!

[philcooper]

As Tim has said, don't cover the leaves completely, the leaves provide the energy for the plant so earth up the stems to leave the tops of leaves clear of the soil.

The exception to the "rule" is if there is a likelihood of frost when they can be completely covered, better thoug to use fleece as this leaves the leaves to carry on working for the plant.

Being in the Netherlands, you could always build a dijk around it  ;) to prevent the soil being washed away

Phil

[kitty]

i have quite a few varieties of  tomatoes that i dont knowwhether they are bush or cordon-how do i tell please?
kitty :)

[kitty]

oops! ::)nearly fprgot-how do you re-plant  the side shoots-just hormone rooting powder and  pop them in compost?
do they really grow?
cor!free tomao plants! ;D