Potatoes

[RenishawPhil]

when are people thinking of starting their spuds?

[RenishawPhil]

[pumkinlover]

Next week after the full moon. ( I am trying to sow seeds till then, and I always used to  use St Patricks day to start. I only plant 10-15 a day to prevent too many aches and pains!)

[steveg1966]

I am doing mine end of next week we are going to prepare the beds tomorrow I am thinking of covering the prepared beds for a week to try to warm the soil any thoughts on that idea would be great.

[RenishawPhil]

I am doing mine end of next week we are going to prepare the beds tomorrow I am thinking of covering the prepared beds for a week to try to warm the soil any thoughts on that idea would be great.

I dont think the soil has actually got that cold this yr!(but i suppose it depends where u are )

[Nige P]

I'm starting to worry now, my spuds have been in 2 weeks now and most of my seeds are already in pots.

Nige

[antipodes]

Started the spuds this weekend and continued the onions that I started a week ago. As I have not been very well, I couldn't go as mad as I wanted to, because I wanted to start off the peas too :-(  The broad beans I sowed have come up though which is nice! I also managed to put in a handful of lettuce seeds and a wee patch of radish under fleece.

[strawberry1]

around the 20th, I have taken the weed fabric off and raked potato fertiliser in. They will appear above ground in 4 weeks so that will take care of the last frost period where I live. Chits are tiny so far thank goodness, perfect really. I am only planting 20, 10 blue danube and 10 charlotte. I am actually chitting loads more as t and m gave me lots of subs for the potatoes they could not send me, enough to supply both daughters. Tbh I will be glad when they are all gone

[RenishawPhil]

around the 20th, I have taken the weed fabric off and raked potato fertiliser in. They will appear above ground in 4 weeks so that will take care of the last frost period where I live. Chits are tiny so far thank goodness, perfect really. I am only planting 20, 10 blue danube and 10 charlotte. I am actually chitting loads more as t and m gave me lots of subs for the potatoes they could not send me, enough to supply both daughters. Tbh I will be glad when they are all gone

the chits are looking good on ours , nice thick and solid looking

[Spookyville]

Had them chitting for 2 weeks now, planning to start planting them towards the end of this month, but doing it in bins (plastic dustbins) again. Always good yields and 0 slug damage :)

[manicscousers]

Earlies under cover are up. Took the cover off the first outside ed and planted them, next will be in 2 weeks and so on 

[artichoke]

I unwisely left mine for a rather long time in the cardboard box they arrived in, and some have long flimsy pale shoots. My fault. I have chopped them down to half length because I notice that if there is any damage to the tip, they sprout again nearer to the potato itself. Not planning to plant them yet as I have not dug enough ground.....maybe in 2 or 3 weeks.

[susan1]

Have got all ours chitting in the conservatory under the sofa, hubby been digging and using rotovator this last week so ground should be ready in about a week, also had to laugh today as he said he'd rotovated the area where I'm growing gladiolus, and didn't dig them up so ........ Will have to wait and see on that one

[Robert_Brenchley]

I planted a bed of racist spuds (negresse - call my girls that and you won't half get a mouthful!) yesterday. Hopefully I might even get a crop this year!

[carroteater]

All mine are on chitting. Will plant the earlies at the end of the month and maincrop one or two weeks later. Thankfully the soil is drying out.

[Digeroo]

I have put out a few in a sheltered place with bottles of water and fleece around to keep them warm. 

The rest are still chitting.  They did well last year when March was a right off.  So I am not in a hurry.

[GREGME]

Annabellles, casablancas, red dukes and corolles went in 1st week in march on basis of good forecast under plastic
2nd earlies weekend after next.

[RenishawPhil]

I have put out a few in a sheltered place with bottles of water and fleece around to keep them warm. 

The rest are still chitting.  They did well last year when March was a right off.  So I am not in a hurry.

Last year was a very good potato year considering march was no use to anyone

[Spookyville]

strange query time :)

anyone else planning on growing them in containers/bins instead of the ground?

And if so, once the season is over what to do with all the compost used in the bins? reuse next year or not?

[Old Ace]

Always grow my 1st earlies in builders buckets . re-use the compost (grow bag) later, no problems up to now!

[telboy]

Keep the covers on Manics!
The Winter hasn't finished with us yet.