Allotments 4 All

I've planted my first and second earlies,  and will be planting out my maincrop potatoes in the next few weeks.
Here's the silly question : How long does it take before the shoots will break through the soil?

::) answer depends on:

Temperature
Soil density/composition
Type of spud
Size of seed
How long the shoots were
How deep you planted them
Mystery factors 8) ;)

If you keep a notebook, you can record when your first shoots appear, then you'll know what to expect next year. I'm expecting mine to show 3-4 weeks from planting yesterday, but who knows? ;D

I used the lazy bed system. It's the soil density I'm a bit worried about! Those poor little shoots will have to grow through some big clods of clay!

They'll manage, just you wait and see!

Dandelion, I'm sort of doing a lazier thing this year too.
Have had to reduce the space for spuds, so am planting closer together and also not digging trenches. Just placed them on the surface of the soil, and heaped on top about 18" of lovely soft well rotted compost - mostly composted kitchen waste. I have more to put on later.
Will be interesting to see what happens, I've always dug a trench of sorts, and always earthed up.
The notebook thing is a good idea - I tend to scribble things on the kitchen calendar and then record it all properly at the end of the year.

I will confess jennym, although professionally, I always kept a meticulous logbook, my notes regarding my allotment are essentially non-existent ... lots of intentions, but no real action. However, that is what appeals about the gardening, the total detachment from the rigorously disciplined world that I lived in. Perhaps sad, as I have excellent 'clinical' skills, but I rely on my flawed perception of what is best.

Maybe this will give hope? Or disprove everything??

Forced to plant Colleen on 16 Feb, because of shoot length - solid frost in the ground until a few days ago - now 45F - and whey-hey!! (as some people have been known to say) - we have lift-off!!

If one has survived, maybe another will have??

I have far too many (remember they sent me 6 kilos of Lady Christl by mistake?) and so am planting closer too. But dug a trench about a spit deep to plant them in. Previously grassland so I thought I'd give them a bit of help + by the time they grow up from that depth, hopefully the frost will have gone.

Don't keep written records either - I think that's a luxury I'll save for retirement.

I'm on my second retirement!!

QuoteHow long does it take before the shoots will break through the soil?

3 weeks

6 in my case?

I think it's yet another variable. How deep you planted, how cold the soil was, frost or no frost, snow or no snow ... Frankly it amazes me that anything grows at all. :( :( :(

QuoteI'm on my second retirement!!

you'll never retire tim-you're always busy! ;D
i grew my taters on a bit of spare farmland last year-now we have the raised bed i shall be putting them in there for the first time-because my beds are 10" deep i shall put all the taters a bit closer together and put the rows closer by about 4" too!

Quote6 in my case

exactly, pointless question

sadly,merry tiller,not everyone has your wealth of experiance to draw on.....which is probably why dandelion asked in the first place..... :)

No matter how long your gardening history I hope you still get a thrill seeing sprouts come through ::)
Here's a tip dandelion.
After three weeks, go and see if there are any spud sprouts. If not, stand at the end of the sprout patch and say - very loudly - "I hear the Atkins diet will be very popular this year". If possible, involve friends who can reply that the spud is too starchy for the GI diet and much too Yin anyway. Then you all discuss how beans are much easier to grow and more nutritious, and how tiring it is to dig up all those patooties.

That should do the trick ;)

;D ;D ;D ;D

Thanks for the tip supersprout! Will give it a go  ;D ;D ;D!

Erm, and for the serious minded there's a good debate on planting methods/depth/sprouting at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=57&/topic,18412.msg191634/topicseen.html#new
;) :D