Hi from the Pyrenees!

[guinness]

Hi There

I live in the french Pyrenees with my wife Carole and two dogs and we started growing last year. It was a bit scrappy and everybody else pointed at us and made fun But we grew HUGE potatoes and most of our crop was awesome!!

this year we are more organised and have even read some books on the subject so (think) we know what we are doing but are sure we could do with some advice from time to time.

Our main problem is the altitude - we live at 1000 metres so we still have snow this week and forecast for next week too!

Our plot is in a sunny place and hasn't been used for thirty years before we started.

I have a question - i'm dying to plant my potatoes. If i plant this weekend and we get a frost will they be damaged?

Thats all for now folks!

[Flummery]

Hello and welcome to the grapevine. As long as they're well below the soil surface they'll be fine. Plant them a good 6" down and then earth up a bit on top. When they start to break the surface - probably several weeks from now - there will be less chance of the frost damaging them. It's the new greenery that is nobbled by a hard frost. Make sure you earth up again though, because part of the point of earthing up (or mulching if that's what you prefer) is to protect from frost but part is to prevent tubers forming where the light will turn them green (and therefore poisonous).

Good luck with the growing. Sounds like you've made a great start.

[terrier]

Hello Pyreneans, don't think it's just you as we are having snow and hail at the moment and some bitterly cold weather. The early Easter has made everyone think of Summer but it's too cold to get things growing quickly outside yet. I would hang fire for a few weeks until the ground starts to warm up. Welcome to the forum.

[guinness]

Thanks for the two (c0nflicting!) pieces of advice. I think I will hold on for a few weeks as I am watching all the old fellas around here and will plant when they do

[smallblueplanet]

Hi guinness welcome, I agree with Flum - she's a canny one! But why not just put a few in now to see how they go and then plant the rest when the oldies round your way plant theirs?

[SarzWix]

Hi Guinness, welcome to the 'Vine
When to plant, whether to plant...? It's an age ole question! I'd probably err on the side of caution, and wait til the old boys start planting theirs - they've had years of experience of your local conditions, and after all, they're gardeners & probably have the urge to plant things just the same as us!

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!!
Could I ask you to put your location on your profile as it's easy to forget where people say they are from- and esp in your case as it's France and mountainous...and that makes a bit of difference to our replies!!!

My spuds are going in in 2 weeks time as the ground is still too wet ( almost there....) and we are off on hols tomorrow- so they'll have to wait!
What variety of potato are you growing???

[guinness]

Thanks for the support

Hi and thanks for all the support. i will put my location on my profile so you know where I am.

And I did think about planting a few spuds now to see what happens. Just because noone else is doing it doesn't mean its wrong!

I had no straight lines last year and they all thought I was mad
And I planted my spuds way too far apart and they laughed again - until they saw my HUGE crops!!!

Mind you - I didn't laugh so much when i got Dorifores - AKA Colorado Beetle. the little buggers took me ages to get rid of. Picking them off each night and drowning in fairy liquid water

[guinness]

what variety?

Everyone here grows Mona Lisa but last year I had amandine which were great. I'm going to plant Amandine again and also Mona Lisa to compare

[guinness]

Right - i DID it!
Went out early this morning and planted some secret spuds as a test! 15 Amandine planted fairly deep with straw over the top and black plastic to protect from frost. Let's see what happens.