Topic: Newbie Allotment Sketch 1 - Potato Queries

[Easywriter]

Got my potatoes in at last (1st earlies + 2nd earlies + main crop). All a bit late, but what the hell. But how often do I water potatoes  ??? Also, what about earthing up. Do that straight away, or wait until they actually start to show ???. Most other plot holders seem to have earthed theirs up straight away. Most books I've read say 'wait' (one says wait until they're 9" tall), and that seems sensible to me, at least you can see where they ARE.

[saddad]

We earth up as we back fill the trenches... so the spuds come out of the sides... best done later if you can.  :-\

[amphibian]

This question comes up every season. I plant deep, about a foot, and earth up after the plants emerge. I let them get past the flat rosette stage then bury the stems, eventually the ridges will reach about a foot.

Everyone seems to do it differently, the old boys on my site all seem to ridge in advance, but I've noticed their plants often emerge in the trenches instead of the ridges.

One of my neighbours does not earth-up at all.

I think a trial is needed.

[Fork]

I think quite alot of people earth up early because of frost.

I cannot understand the reasoning behind not earthing up at all.Earthing up produces more potatoes d oes it not?....or am I wrong again....I sometimes am  :)

[Stevens706]

I wait until they show through, it protects from frost and increases yield.

[PAULW]

I pull the ridges up as soon as I plant then cover the whole lot in straw this does two things 1 keeps the weeds down 2 holds the moisture in the soil.

[amphibian]

I think quite alot of people earth up early because of frost.

I cannot understand the reasoning behind not earthing up at all.Earthing up produces more potatoes d oes it not?....or am I wrong again....I sometimes am  :)

I think it does produce more, but depth of initial planting is also key. many only plant a few inches deep and then earth up. I plant 1' down and earth up.

[Unwashed]

The advice on watering that I got at the potato day last year was to soak tatties every fortnight if they needed it and not to water less and often.  Personally I don't water mine and my soil is very light and liable to dry out.  In a dry year my 2nd earlies can yield less than I'd hope (I don't grow mains because of the blight) but I can't be watering everything and in an average year they'll do fine.

I have some recollection that some varieties are more demanding than others of water.  Is it King Eds or Cara that need a bit of watering?

[newspud9]

This is my first year (first earlies went in beginning April) and I tried to get as much info as I could on these questions.  IMHO - there was such a variety of answers, and seemed so many different ways of doing things, and since pretty much everyone was getting successful results, it didnt seem to matter what techniques I used as long as it wasnt something really dumb (always a possibility with me).  My biggest problem so far was that the frost the other week knocked the foliage for six and advice I got was to cover everything.... which I did... but sure enough, other advice said not to... so two days later, I was uncovering.  I think the thing to do is to stick to what sounds right although the comment about experimenting with different techniques within the same season/crop seems vey sensible to try to rule out/rule in specifics.  Good luck with it all.

[Digindep]

Its a learning curve realy..over the years I've found I have picked up other ideas/ways of planting ect, so in a way it all becomes an individual thing, the basics however remain the same.
The other week my spuds realy caught a cold in those frosts, mine happened to be planted in a wind tunnel, no cover no hedges ect. they went down badly.

Other plotters gathered round with the usual comiserations (and a few sniggers)
"Lost them," " told you not to plant so early" ," mine are only going in this week"..all the comments you can possibly think of...

Me! I took no notice...couple of days later, when the frosts had gone, watered them very well...they's back ...those that had not come through at the time ,
are now well in advance of those that 'ole Jack got, but they are getting there, maybe ba week or two behind....but they Will Survive...

Oh! I earthed up as I planted, and have done so again since they started recovery..
My thinking was "if I bury half dead leaves, I'm more likely to loose the lot"..
others may differ, each to his....enjoy and have a great season.... ;) ;)

[nilly71]

I've just finnished planting my mains and earthed up straight away, I have so much to do as I extended the plot that it's one less job to do at a later date.

Neil

[Tee Gee]

I earth up after they have emerged!

This does two things it is an insurance against late frost and it means my ridges are central over the plants so soil; is deeper where the tubers form so less chance of soil being washed off and turning the tuber green.

I never water them!

My contention is; if you have prepared well and added plenty of 'humus' this is enough.

Like 'Unwashed' I think watering plays a part in whether you get blight or not, but I am not sufficiently qualified to say this is a fact..... my motto is; if in doubt do nout!

Regarding increased cropping with increased earthing up, yes you get a larger quantity but I am not sure if you get more weight.

You just have to think of the growing in a bag/container or tyres where the practice of 'earthing up' is exaggerated and here you do indeed get more tubers but again weight ???? I don't know ???

[lincsyokel2]

I rotovate a 6 inch deep trench, plant the tates at the bottom of the trench then pile the earth back in the trench, so  they have  about 9 inches of soil above them, that save them from frost except ofc they just started to show with a handful of leaves when the ridiculously late frost last week nipped the tops, ive watered them for the first time and they look like there coming back ok.