Earthing up poatoes

[Flunky]

i put my seed potatoes in mid March, Epicure 2nd earliers and maris piper main crop.

They have sprouted through and are 5"- 6" tall. I have earthed up some and thought that this was maybe not a good idea. As i was not sure on how much / high etc.

is this ok ? They are still poking through a bit or should i cover them completely ?

Thanks for help in advance.  ;D

[Flunky]

[betula]

Two schools of thought on this.Some cover,some don't.

I totally covered mine yesterday,urged on by my lottie neighbour,but I hate doing it as it seems wrong somehow. ;D

[tim]

Always leave a posy at the top.

[Flunky]

I am glad you said that because I stopped this morning after my first row thinking i was doing something bad to them.

They grew all that way and then i covered them up again. Did'nt seem right. So i went along and made sure each sprout was poking through just a little and them gave them a good watering.

Got some good mounds and was wondering if I should continue along the other rows.

NB. Aah. just seen new post. I was right to leave little showing. Good.

[Crystalmoon]

I was wondering about this too. I earthed up two days ago & covered them completely  ::)
but they sre poking through again, phew! As a complete novice i really dont know what Im doing...do I keep earthing up from now until I harvest them? Or is the once enough?
Thanks

[adeymoo]

From what I have read so this is not based on experience (first potato year for me :)) the haulms are meant to be 9 inches high before starting earthing up to leave no about 4-5 inches exposed (does this involve covering leaves??). Carry on earthing up until leaves of plants on different rows touch. This is all well and good but my potatotes are getting bushy but not growing vertically, is this because they were planted 12 inches deep and therefore earthing up not required. Books are nice but forums like this allow you to ask questions about what nature actually throws at you.

[Barnowl]

I cover some of the leaves of those in the bed and most of the leaves for those in containers - they're in compost so find it easy to to push on through. but have absolutely no idea whether either is the right thing to do.

Afraid I've never planted as deep as 12" so can't comment - expect someone else will be along.....

[tim]

Is it not that the plant needs to photosynthesise?

As to when  you stop - you run out of soil?

[lorna]

Glad you said that Tim. Grandson has got some in buckets and I have earthed up as far as possible for him.

[shirlton]

Dread this job, Always end up with a back ache. Jobs done though now and can look forward to the next job with them . Digging them up to eat.

[PurpleHeather]

Be wise, keep a few barrows full of sifted soil to throw in the valley and use this to earth up with.

[tim]

Great idea.  I'll find someone to dig it & sift it & store it!! Meant kindly!

[sawfish]

I've always just covered mine up completely. They always come back through.

[calendula]

earthing up is only really done for 2 reasons - one to stop spuds at the near surface from going green (green spuds are even more poisonous then normal ones) and also to create depth for larger crops

so there is no rigid science about it and as I don't earth up at all, who am I to say anything  ;D

[posie]

Well I've earthed up one container, but not the other so we'll see what happens. 

Ps - when can I dig up my 1st earlies - I'm hungry!!

[redimp]

Be wise, keep a few barrows full of sifted soil to throw in the valley and use this to earth up with.

Nah, go down between the rows smaking the ground with a mattock and then earth up with that.  I ain't digging, sifting and storing 90m worth of soil no matter how beneficial it is. :o

[manicscousers]

these potatoes will now be earthed up with newspaper collars and grass cuttings  ;D

[Sinbad7]

I earth up until the signs of the frost's have gone.  I like earting up it is satisfying I think ;D

Sinbad

[artichoke]

I am earthing up slowly but steadily, and heaping compost and grass cuttings on top of that.

I want really good soft soil next year - this is the first digging out of rough meadow.

[sawfish]

Nah, go down between the rows smaking the ground with a mattock and then earth up with that.  I ain't digging, sifting and storing 90m worth of soil no matter how beneficial it is. :o

I'm with you redclanger  ;D