On the basis that it will stop raining by March, I've started to plan where to plant my first potato crops next year. Lots of comments on the web that 1st and 2nds should be planted 30cm apart and in rows 60cm apart, and main crop 60cm apart and rows also same distance. When I look at much, much better plots than mine, the distance isnt nearly that big and also the first rows are pretty near the edge of the plot. Have I got too hung up on this and should I put my ruler away and simply just space 'em out.
Thanks to all.
Welcome newspud, I am no expert and I'm sure one will be along in a minute. I have had a good result from my earlies and I just spaced em out - charlottes next to dig up and they look good so far. The spuds haveleft behind lovely broken up soil and I sowed some beans in their place - happy gardening just get stuck in and enjoy.
Lushy x
i plant earlies and main at bout 30cms distance between rows enough to earth up prob would be bout 60 cms
I plant mine a foot apart - thats a size 9 boot, and two boots between rows.
Dont get too hung up on distances and straight rows - the plants don't care too much, they're more intrested in sun and water.
What is wrong with straight rows? :P
Nothing, the point is that the plants don't care whether they're straight or not.
I care. :P
My way;.......15"-18" between rows and 9"-12" between plants (seeds)
In a bed 8.5 m long x 1.5 wide (28ft x 5ft) I get 21 rows x 5 plants wide.
Same distances for all groups!
There are some who will say that this is too close together......it might be? but I am happy with the results I get so thats fine by me!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Allotment%2013th%20June/Maincroppotatoes.jpg)
Quote from: Eristic on July 18, 2009, 13:59:55
I care. :P
You may have been potty trained too early. :P ;)
TEE GEE
do you earth up at planting time? or later on.
J T W
Quote from: jimtheworzel on July 18, 2009, 16:49:06
TEE GEE
do you earth up at planting time? or later on.
J T W
Speaking for myself, yes and yes.
I dig the whole planting area over a couple of weeks before planting to remove the perenial weeds etc,
I then dig it over again on planting day to remove any weeds that I may have missed first time. (this is very quick, only take 15 mins per yard of a 8 yard wide plot.)
Level (ish) it off, get the string line out and only using a hand trowel make a hole 3-4 inches deep and pop the spud in. Then before moving the string line, just create a low mound over the spuds, just 2 inches or so, mainly so I can see where I've planted.
Later when the plants are 6 to 8 inches high, I'll mound up again 1) by now the new weeds need removing and 2) to help support the plants. This may be done earlier if there's frosts due.
May time I generally earth up again. 1) to remove the weeds, 2) support plants 3) encourage more/larger tubers,
At harvest time I just rummage through the mounds as the potatoes should not be too deep.
My logic is to
1) Dig the ground to make it loose and weed free when nothing else is there so I dont have to worry about digging other things up.
2) Keep weeds down at the start and then not allow them to get going.
3) Plant shallow, earth up and harvest shallow, rather that plant deep and harvest deep.
But there are many ways to skin a cat. It depends on your soil, your time (at planting and then again later), your abilities and what works for you.
Quotedo you earth up at planting time? or later on.
Being a bit of an idle beggar I tend to do it later!
Reason? It doubles up for frost protection!
My philosophy;
Why do two jobs when one is enough!
Many thanks to all for putting me and me spuds straight .
My main bed is 1.5m wide x 5.5m length and raised.
I have 3 rows with 10 seeds in each.
I dug 3 trenches about 6" deep then used a hole borer to bore/dig holes down another 5-8".
This is my first time with spuds, so waiting to see the results.
Neil
I'd suggest it depernds on variety.... Pink Fir Apple needs more space than Maris Piper for instance... in fact PFA needs more space than some courgettes but theen it's a bit of aaaaa Neanderthal when it comes to potato varieties and I fdor one would drop it like a shot if something more civilised tasted as good (and preferably was easier to prepare) as it is a quarter of my crop is PFA.... I'd have thought if you stuck to modern varieties then 30cm in rows at 40cm would be fine....
chrisc
Have you tried Anya Chris? It's a PFAxDesiree and fits most of your criteria.. it doesn't taste quite as good... :-\
Quote from: saddad on July 23, 2009, 08:00:42
Have you tried Anya Chris? It's a PFAxDesiree and fits most of your criteria.. it doesn't taste quite as good... :-\
.... it doesn't taste as good.... kind of sums it up for me :D..... Most of what I grow I do for the taste (most of my potatos, broad beans, garden peas) or because I like wierd things (Catawissa onions, Oca) or because when it gets down to it I'm a bit of a size queen (Kelsae onions).... PFA sort of ticks all three, I get fantastic tasting potatos that look like they're from another galaxy and they're a monstrous plant.....
chrisc
Personally I prefer the taste of Anya to PFA and it is a better and earlier cropper. But then my favourite potato is Desiree, so perhaps the flavour of that comes through.
I'm growing PFA because I love the taste but they are taking up a lot of space. I found out about them from an old chap who also used to grow another fantastic spud, think they were called Ratties?? They were gorgeous too. :)
Lushy x
Ratte... another "finger" salad spud... :)
Quote from: saddad on July 28, 2009, 21:33:07
Ratte... another "finger" salad spud... :)
La Ratte :D Biggest problem with that is telling it from a Jerusalem Artichoke without eating it :D.... they are really that knobbly ..... might well try them next year cos they're right about the taste... makes a cracking chip too... as does PFA if you don't mind eating alien chips (my niece called the first, admittedly odd even for the breed, PFA she ever saw "it's an alien potato")...
chrisc