Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Powderfan on April 11, 2008, 06:07:55
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Hi Guys and Gals
I went to my plot yesterday after work to water my greenhouse plants (not been down there since the weekend) and saw that the frost/snow we had early in the week has killed of the tops of my potato plants. Should I worry about this or will new shoots emerge? I have spare seed potatoes so could plant replacements if I need to.
Thanks
Michael
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Frost - not snow.
They'll regrow, but delayed. Next year, earth them up more or use fleece.
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Hi Tim
Thanks for that. I'm a novice and was so happy that things were sprouting. Perhaps next year I will be a little more prepared. I may try to get some straw to protect them for any more frost we may have this month.
Michael
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How much growth was there?
I doubt you'll need to cover the new shoots. Earthing up should suffice.
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Hi Tim
The last time I saw them they were about 2-3" high.
Michael
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Next year dont plant them so early! Mine wont be going in for another couple of weeks.
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Hi Keef
I planted them early because I was worried that the seed potatoes were getting a bit wrinkly. Any way, my plan for next year is to prepare trenches and load with manure well in advance and cover the ground with black landscape fabric to warm the soil before planting. Once the seed potatoes are in and the soil mounded up the fabric will be put over until they sprout. I will then keep a close eye on earthing up and protecting from frost either by straw, fleece or cloches.
Do you see any flaws in this plan?
I intend to plant the remaining spare seed potatoes in another two or three rows this weekend.
Michael
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Warming the soil before you plant spuds wont help much - they will just sprout more quickly - then you'll have to remove the fabric and you'll possibly have the same problem (maybe worse as they will be up ealier) as this year.
My spuds look like my spuds already - really rinkly, but it does'nt seem to bother them. Perhaps you could buy them a little later, or maybe you should keep them in a colder place to help delay sprouting.
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I'm with Keef on this one.
I was toying with the idea of planting mine next week but if conditions don't allow I don't mind waiting another week.
A point perhaps worth mentioning is; if they become a bit 'wrinkly' this doesn't matter so long as they don't rot before you plant them, they will rot away in any case once planted.
By the way I am still eating last years maincrop and will be till at least the end of the month is anyone else in the same position?
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I planted my 1st earlies at the end of Feb in the warm weather. I then covered the area with black plastic to protect from all the bad weather. They are now above ground, but they are now covered with cloches and looking good.
I also have a box of earlies in the greenhouse and the stems are 60 cm high and looking good.
Spent today planting maincrop, a bit later than most years.
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TeeGee I had to dump some of mine which had long etiolated shoots (chits). I don't think I'm storing my tatties as well as I could. What advice do you have on that? I have 2 home sheds but normaly store them in the house . I think the house is just too hot but I'm afraid that in either shed they would be eaten by mice or rats.
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I just wish that I could get a decent crop of spuds, they are always full of slugs and nothing I do seems to stop them.
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Michael - adding to all that, earthing up would have been enough to save them. I know that the usual ploy is to let them put on 4" first, but at this time of year I do it sooner.
All our 2008s went in on 3/4. The soil was just right.
Us too, TG -
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Mine all went in last weekend but I don't expect to see them up for a bit.
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I just wish that I could get a decent crop of spuds, they are always full of slugs and nothing I do seems to stop them.
Try growing Desiree - slugs never eat them for some reason....
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I don't think I'm storing my tatties as well as I could.
I store mine in the garage in second hand paper sacks I get from our local grain merchant. see pic 17 here; http://tinyurl.com/22xzs7
I once stored them in the allotment greenhouse but I am afraid a family of field mice set up home in one of the bags so I have refrained from this method.
When potatoes are getting this old there is a tendency for them to form the chits you describe, but I find because mine are cool and in the dark they are not too bad.
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Ask your local chippie for their old potato bags.
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i noticed this morning that a whole row of my spuds had come through and they had gone all wrinklled up/blackened due to be damaged by the frost:(, i hope they will regrow !!!, have now earthed up again and fleeced over. will they take long to grow bk?
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The same thing happened to mine, even though I had covered them with fleece, but I have earthed them up and they now seem to be recovering. I think potatoes are pretty tough and they will probably send up new shoots, so long as the tuber itself hasn't got frosted. Next year I will make sure any shoots have a good thick covering of soil or compost if a frost is forecast and the fleece on top!
KK
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They soon grow back, don't worry.
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Hi Guys and Gals
As predicted by you all no harm appears to have been done. The spuds seem to have re-sprouted well. I just need to make sure I protect them when the next cold snap comes.
Michael
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The Breckland heaths are renowned for early season frosts. In 1958 I was working for the Forestry Commission and we had a very sharp frost one morning. One of our people had 1/2 acre of potatoes well up. Another from the same village, laughing, said "How're yer taters going on now, Freddie" and the reply was "my taters are OK, I was up at 4 o'clock, watering the frost off". It saved the crop, but must be done before the sun strikes the leaves.