planting potatoes

[AndrewB]

I'm in the north (Rochdale) and stuck my spuds and onions in yesterday as I had some time. Had some frost last night - anyone know if they will be ok?  Spuds are about 4-6" deep with a little earthing up but not much.

[AndrewB]

[katynewbie]

:-\

Andrew, I am in Oldham and the ground here is still very wet and soggy. Other plotties don't have theirs in yet so am waiting! Plan to do it over the Easter weekend come hell or high water...gulp!

;)

[grawrc]

Our soil is in A1 condition so have planted. Temperatures are dicey however so am keeping a weather eye on developments. I f soil is wet, dank and 'orrible and below zero temperatures are expected just wait. ::)

If they're in already and you're not sure - stick fleece on top to keep them as warm as poss.

[Roy Bham UK]

I'm on a bit of a slope so I have planted in the drier areas, Pentland Javalin, Rocket, Arran Pilot, Marris Peer and Charlotte so far. 8)

I still have Foremost and Desiree to go in. ;D This is land that hasn't been worked for about 3 or more years, so I dug a trench lined it with Farm Yard Manure and covered that with Multi Purpose Compost just to keep em cosey. ;D

[grawrc]

Roy I put down  chicken s**t in the trenches and wrapped the tatties in newspaper then covered and added manure on top.

[Will D]

Put most of my tatties in last week. First earlies - Rocket and Lady Christl. Second earlies - Estima, Kestrel and Marfona (would have preferred Charlotte, but supplier sold out). Maincrop - Picasso, Pentland Crown and yet to put in - Cara.
Today, I put in a row of carrots (Early Nantes) pasted to strips of newspaper with a Cornflower mixture (as seen on this site).  As an afterthought, I am a bit concerned that the newspaper may be too thick for the roots to penetrate. I should possibly have used kitchen roll.
Had a couple of nights of quite heavy frost (Dorset).
Regards

[AndrewB]

My soil is well drained but I was about concerned about the frost but not much I can do now, can't be bothered with fleece -always blows away

[RSJK]

Frosts will not damage them while they are not sending shoots above ground level,  I doubt very much that the frosts will be hard enough to penetrate the soil very deep at this time of the year to do any damage.

[moonbells]

I put my International Kidneys, Red Dukes and Kestrels in today.  Used a border spade (8-9" depth) to dig the trench then added at least 3" manure in the bottom. Stuck the tubers in that and covered over.  So probably 6-7" depth.  But I've partially earthed up. Did that last year and got rather large crops! 

This year I bought more maincrop that earlies so I've got a spacing problem with the next lot... 

moonbells

[grawrc]

Groan! Tell me about it. Don't know where mine are going

[scotch-mist]

Chrispea27,
                  I'm in Northern Ireland and still waiting for warmer, drier weather to put in my earlies.  Was talking to a local farmer and he said that there is no particular Date, just wait for a couple of dry , warm days in a row , and if the ground is dry enough to do without wellies then "go for it" ;D

Hope this helps ;D

[philcooper]

Please remember that potatoes, like all plants, need energy to flourish.

They get the energy from photosynthesis, that is they need leaves in the sun.

Planting deep and then earthing up means that they have a long hard struggle before the shoots reach the surface to produce energy. All that energy comes from the limited resources in the seed tuber.

That is why the plant 4" deep and then earth up regime is the norm. The 4" means that the plant produces leaves and therefore start generating energy quite quickly. The repeated earthing up results in a long length of stem under the ground (whilst the plant is producing energy). The length of stem is needed as the tubers to eat grow from the stem (the longer the stem, the larger the number of tubers).

The amount of effort put into the growing is roughly the same (or possibly less) if you earth up at the start but you miss the advantages gained from later and repeated earthing up which are the production of a dry surface which helps retain moisture and the the weed killing effect - the story that potatoes "clear ground" are very much exaggerarated, it's the efforts of the gardener repeatedly cutting off weed growth by earthing up is the majority of the stiry!

Phil

[pakaba]

cheers Phil that has answered some of my questions. Thank you ;D

My spuds (arron pilots, cara and my fav, king edwards) are going in next weekend.  Only terrential rain or blizzards will stop me :)  with 3 very young children i find it very difficult finding the time to get to the lottie :'( so  i have planned for weeks now to put them in easter weekend.  (please pray for good weather).  Now the days are getting longer i should be able to get down there more in the evening to do the necessary earthing up.

My question is, do you dig a trench put them in and cover, then eventually build the earth up to ground level, then mound it up, OR do you pop them in and pull the earth up from either side to make a mound?   Does that make sense?  

paula

[Roy Bham UK]

Thanks for that Phil ;) generally I've kept to the 4" depth but get panicky when the leaves emerge and covered them, mainly for fear of having green potatoes that are toxic :o

I must restrain myself and allow them to grow above ground to around 8" b4 earthing up in future and stop panicking ;D

P.S. Glad to see you back here.
Phil did you know your avatar grows when you have not been around for a while ;D

[Wicker]

Good to see you again, Phil.  And thanks for that explanation - makes sense when you explain it "as it is" - now to convince Mr W that we should try that way, don't think it will be difficult as it seems logical and easier! ;)

[Rhys]

It took me two hours on Friday and four hours on Saturday to plant all my tubers!

I planted:
First Earlies...Pentland Javelin
Second Earlies...Maris Peer, Kestrel
Maincrop...Pink Fir Apple, Cara, King Edward, Maris Piper and Desiree

I also have Foremost under a cloche and should be eating my Aaron Pilots by the end of this week from my polytunnel ;)

I love spuds!

[philcooper]

..... do you dig a trench put them in and cover, then eventually build the earth up to ground level, then mound it up, OR do you pop them in and pull the earth up from either side to make a mound?   ....

Paula,

The "standard" method is to dig a trench, place FYM in the bottom so that the seed tubers, when placed on it are 4" below the surface of the soil. Replace the soil, which will be just a fraction higher than it was because you have loosened it and added the FYM. Then as the leaves emerge let them grow to about 6" high then pull soil up around the stems so that the leaves are now level with the surface (this is "earthing up") repeat this 2 or 3 times. This will give a greater depth of stem under the soil so more opportubities for tubers to form. Keep an eye out later in the year for the 2nd earlies and Maincrop tubers sticking out of the sides (1st earlies should be lifted before this becomes a probem) and cover with more soil.

The exception to the not covering the leaves rule is when frost is threatened, a thin covering of soil will protect the foliage and the leaves will quickly force their way to the surface again. The alternative is fleece.

Phil

Roy,

I hadn't checked my atavar for growth, I was waiting for higher temperatures!  ;)

[tim]

PHIL - that should be a sticky?? Took the words out of my mouth!!

Thought you would get provoked. You saw me struggling!