Claires Allotment

[jimtheworzel]

hi all
been watching claires allotment on u-tube, she was planting spuds
she dug a hole, dropped in spud and covered with a mound of soil
no digging a trench, it looked quick to plant a row
i am thinking of trying this on my plot this year
any one planted in this way, any unforeseen probs

regards   Jim

[jimtheworzel]

[goodlife]

There is no reason why you would not get perfectly good crop that way...but..your soil musn't be compacted so that the potatoes roots are able to spread and you either mulch or drench later on as otherwise you will have majority of your taties on surface going green ;)

[birdsrfun]

I've grown them that way before and they were fine, you do make quite a trench next to them eventually though cos you need soil for earthing up and it has to come from somewhere..

[Trevor_D]

I use a bulb planter. No problems at all. Saves a lot of digging and it's better for my back!

I used to do it the hard way, taking out a trench, placing the potato very carefully at the bottom, then filling it in again. But that was in the garden, with a dozen or so spuds! When I took on an allotment, with rows and rows of the things, I realised there had to be an easier way!

We had a school visit in March a couple of years back and we were planting potatoes with them. When I demonstrated, one of the mums reacted as if I'd just performed a rather clever conjuring trick! Before she left, she'd joined the waiting list and is now one of our more enthusiastic plot-holders!

[Morris]

I do this, but I do have good loamy soil and it isn't compacted.

It is very easy; I follow with an immediate thick mulch of compost and then 'earth up' later with straw.  Harvesting is easy too.

[powerspade]

I have use dig hole method and trench method and results were the same. The only thing about digging out a trench is that you can put in a load of compost along the row

[shirlton]

Tony puts the rotovator over the ground and  I plant using an old potato planter that was left on the plot when we took it over. Its got a mark at 6 inches and thats where we plant. We do have to leave a good space between for earthing up though

[small]

I always just make a hole and drop the tuber in, then I earth up with compost as they grow. I usually get a good crop, except last year when I was super-clever and earthed up with some old grass clippings as well.  Not a success, you have to learn the hard way sometimes!

[cornykev]

A trench is a good idea if the grounds not been dug over for a while, I use the drop in the hole method now, much easier with same results as the trench.
I line the ground and run a cultivater along the line to start it off, then dig a hole 8 inches down, throw in some compost/manure/leafmould and plant the spud so it's 6 inches down and cover leaving the line until they all appear, earth up etc.   ;D ;D ;D

[jimtheworzel]

bumping this up, for more details of results
thanks
regards   Jim

[manicscousers]

As neither of us can dig, we use a bulb planter and earth up with old compost, old well rotted muck, leaves, grass cuttings, whatever we can get hold of  ;D

[1066]

Jim, I use a bulb planter as well, generally get very good results, unless of course we have dry springs/summers in which case they never get enough water no matter how I planted them  :)

[pumkinlover]

I always just make a hole and drop the tuber in, then I earth up with compost as they grow. I usually get a good crop, except last year when I was super-clever and earthed up with some old grass clippings as well.  Not a success, you have to learn the hard way sometimes!

What happened to you small? when I tried this I ended up with grass seeding and growing on the beds- so I went off the idea.

A friend told me the method Jim is asking about is called "Irishmans" method. ;)
No offence intended!

I might look at a bulb planter though seems like a lot easier.
Anne x