Allotments 4 All

I know this is probably a stupid question but how do you dig the trenches for potatoes.  I have seen fantastic looking potato beds on here and down on my site with soil banked up either side ready for earthing up.  I was wondering if there is a good method or a tool that would help?  :)

Lushy x

On our heavy clay we use a heavy duty "trenching spade" to excavate and a chillington hoe to back fill....  :)

I just use a hoe to drag back the soil and make a trench.Put the spuds in at the spacing I want and then back fill using the flat end of my rake.

Unlike some I wait until the spuds show before earthing up.

I use a bulb planter, it's less work!

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on April 06, 2009, 12:14:48
I use a bulb planter, it's less work!

I bought one at the weekend - exactly for this type of job  ;D

Not on our soil... you'd never get it into the ground, or if you did back out...  ;D

I'm a bulb planter man myself as can be seen here; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Potatoes/Planting%20potatoes/planting%20potatoes.html

But this year I am going to have to trench them in as I didn't get my muck in last autumn (hospital/convalescing)

I don't know if this is the correct way but what I have done is with the Mantis  I have made  ridges for my spuds setting my earlies about six inches deep hoping that I won't have to do much in the way of banking up the spuds when they start to show, :) 

i got a bulb planter but forgot about it till i'd dug a trench ;D ;D

They're great, but remember to clear the soil out after every hole or they get clogged. I scrape them out with a two-foot crowbar, which is just the right length for me.

TeeGee. Just watched your video link. We're first year lotty holders & have a really weedy area that we're using for potatoes. OH has just dug, weeded, trenched & manured the area. We want to plant the potatoes without earthing up. I noticed on your video there wasn't any mulch. Would we need one. BTW the manure is well rotted & 4 years old & he put a good thick layer.
Janet

I use one of these,
http://www.implementations.co.uk/shop/mira_page.htm

That's a great looking tool, Tony...  ::)

purchased it @ chelsea last year, it's the best trowel I've ever used!
(talk your OH into buying you one for B/day / X-mas ;) )

im with mr smith and use the mantis, as i dig 1 trench it fills the previous 1 in, just dont forget to fill it with spuds first tho ;D

Oh dear - even dumber question - whats a Mantis?

Sorry

Lushy x

A make of tiller, a small rotovator.

Thanks SD,  ::)  :)  I was looking at the tiller TeeGee uses - am gonna go to a booty this weekend to see if I can get some more tools, not got much though do have a trenching spade - you never know might get lucky  :)

Lushy x

Quote from: grannyjanny on April 06, 2009, 19:52:58
TeeGee. Just watched your video link. We're first year lotty holders & have a really weedy area that we're using for potatoes. OH has just dug, weeded, trenched & manured the area. We want to plant the potatoes without earthing up. I noticed on your video there wasn't any mulch. Would we need one. BTW the manure is well rotted & 4 years old & he put a good thick layer.
Janet

Tee Gee prepares his ground with manure prior to planting so there is no need to add any more.

If you have to trench then for me i would trench out the first row moving the soil to behind where my last row is going to be dug, then fill my first trench with the soil from my second trench, then the third into the seconed and so on. The advantage of this is you are not trying to leab over a pile of soil to put the sets in the trench, also you are putting the top soil to the bottom of the trench and the bottom soil on the top.

Thanks Davy couldn't have put it better myself

Ta!