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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Rhys on May 06, 2006, 09:34:35

Title: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: Rhys on May 06, 2006, 09:34:35
I planted my seed potatoes three weeks ago and only a small percentage have good sized leaves above the soil at the moment - many have small leaves just poking through.

I planted with a bulb planter and now wonder if I planted too deep? Will they just take longer to show or will I not have many potatoes this year?
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: Jokerman on May 06, 2006, 09:40:16
i put mine in about 6 weeks ago and only now they are beginning to show, put them down about 7 inches, give them a bit more time   ;)
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: Paulines7 on May 06, 2006, 09:43:37
Mine have only just started to show Rhys and they weren't planted too deep.  I think it has something to do with the cold weather we have had.  Mine were planted about 4 weeks ago.  It has been very warm these past couple of days and I had to earth them up two days running because they seemed to grow that quickly overnight once the soil had warmed up.   ;D
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 06, 2006, 09:44:40
Only a few of mine are shgowing, but they're coming through slowly, and I put them down a lot deeper than in previous years, so I don't think there's anything to worry about. Everything that isn't under cloches is slow this year; the broad beans aren't showing, and neither are the parsnips.
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: saddad on May 06, 2006, 09:49:03
Having seen stray small tubers push shoots up through a three foot deep compost bin I doubt that you could dig deep enough to stop them coming up!
Mine aren't up yet but expect to see them this weekend, they were all in by Easter Sat.
:)
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: Rhys on May 06, 2006, 11:43:20
Thanks for the replies, hopefully they'll get going soon with the warmer weather, fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Potatoes - too deep?
Post by: DenBee on May 06, 2006, 13:10:53
I planted mine (Easter weekend) far too deep.  OH dug a trench, and then I put them in holes I dug in the trench with a trowel - what can I say, I got carried away.  ;)

Been along to the lottie this morning, and I had a very few little ones peeping out.  Not much of a show, but enough to reassure me.

Though I'm pleased I've been growing pots in bins, so I knew what they were going to look like, otherwise I might have got a bit too enthusiastic with the hoe and chopped them off.  ::)