earthing up Spuds

[pompeydude]

Hello all,
i was just wondering if it would be OK to earth up my Spuds with well rooted 'orse poo, the stuff you can buy in bags.
This weather is playing havoc with mine,  i have no more earth left round my rows to use.
i was hoping i could kill two birds with the same stone, and use the poo as a mulch/earthing up substitute and also a soil improver for when i dig them up and turn it into the soil, it's not likely to scorch or burn them is it ?
Phill
;D

[pompeydude]

[carolinej]

Hello Phil,

I thought the same thing but was unsure about it. Last week I earthed up one row with well rotted horse manure and they seem to be really happy, so I am going to do the rest this afternoon.

cj :)

[grotbag]

should be okif its well rotted

[Trevor_D]

We have a stables on-site so there is always a huge stack of horse manure available. The chap on the plot next to mine always piles masses of it under, round & on top of his potatoes and gets the most amazing crops every year.

[Tee Gee]

Talking of earthing up!!

I am experimenting this year and NOT earthing up.

The last two years I have suffered from blight meaning I have had to cut the haulms (tops)off before the disease gets into the tubers.

The trouble is my soil is quite light and if we get heavy rain it washes the soil off the ridges ( because they are not protected by the haulms) thus exposing the tubers, which in turn green.

I though at least this way the potatoes would always remain buried if I face a similar situation.

Will keep you informed what cropping is like in due course!

[Trevor_D]

Yes, would be interested in your results, Tee Gee. I had most of my bed of Pink Fir Apple ruined last year. I never dig these until November at the earliest (They bulk up quite a bit well into December or even January.). But the foliage dies back, of course, and like with yours the heavy rain during early winter washed the soil off & exposed the crop. Decided not to grow them this year as a result.

[antipodes]

In the past when I did some gardening with a friend, I have never earthed up spuds and got good results. Now I have my own lottie, I am following suit - I have buried the spuds quite deep and only mulched them with straw. I have never had a problem with green spuds.

[mr plasma]

the idea of earthing up is to exclude light,is there any reason why potatoes could not be planted through black weed supppresant membrane to avoid the need for earthing up as they grow?

[BarbaraGood]

Mr Plasma, I was advised to plant mine like this! (I haven't we didn't have enough membrane ::))