Samurailord's Video Updates

[bario1]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but where on the plant do the new tubers grow? Off side roots of the main stem coming up from the seed? Will you get more spuds the more you earth up, and will they really develop if you use straw/mulch to earth up instead of soil, as some other threads on here seem to suggest? Please excuse my ignorance, like I say, this year will be my first attempt, and I'm just curious as to how all these various methods work...

Cheers!

[Samurailord]

My advice would be to bin them and sow more in April when the soil is warm and they can grow quickly.

They were never intended to be over wintering plants, that's just how it happened at the end of last year.

I will be planting more at the start of the season, but I do like an experiment - in fact, most of my allotment is one experiment or another right now!

Andy

[Samurailord]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but where on the plant do the new tubers grow? Off side roots of the main stem coming up from the seed? Will you get more spuds the more you earth up, and will they really develop if you use straw/mulch to earth up instead of soil, as some other threads on here seem to suggest? Please excuse my ignorance, like I say, this year will be my first attempt, and I'm just curious as to how all these various methods work...

Cheers!

Hi Bario

Firstly - no question is a stupid one if it is causing you problems.

The way potaotes grow is that your seed potato will send out one or more sprouts which will provide loads of foliage when they reach the surface.

Your crop of potatoes will grow out of these main stems where they are underground, so you earth up for two reasons -
1. the more of the stem that is underground, the more space the plant has to create more tubers and
2. any tuber that is above ground and exposed to light will turn green, and we all know not to eat the green potatoes as they become poisonous.

Yoiu can use whatever you like to earth up the potatoes as long as there is a thick layer which will keep out the light you should be ok. There are articles online where people have grown potatoes above ground in a layer of straw or even a bale with some success.

The best thing to do would be to use whatever method suits your location and budget the best, keep a note of it's success (or failure) and try again the following year, perhaps with a different method?

Above all, have fun with your gardening!

Andy

[Samurailord]

Nice vid Andy, I'll ignore the Yorkshire comments.......

Thanks BigM. Sorry about the comments but I couldn't resist a bit of banter

I think you would have got more comparable results if the spuds had been planted in the same soil, i.e. use the soil from your beds in the pots

Yes, I could have done that if I was trying to see if planting in buckets was better than in beds, but I was trying to see if using bought in compost in buckets would be better or worse than planting in my beds. Perhaps I should have had a single bucket with soil from the beds as a separate experiment?

I agree with you that 3 seeds may be too many for the bucket, I think I would have just gone with 1.

Maybe not one, but probably two would have been better, but after all this is an experiment!

Glad you like the video - I am planning a whole lot more over the coming year so stay tuned

Andy

[bario1]

1. the more of the stem that is underground, the more space the plant has to create more tubers

Thanks Andy, very helpful - so is it only really worth adding manure to the soil around the seed, rather than the soil you earth up with?

[MarkHackwell]

Great Video and just love seeing what everyone else is up too The cabbages look really healthy and the plot seems to be coming along nicely

[Samurailord]

April Week 2 on the Allotmewnt - Video Update

Hi all

Quite a lot has happened on my allotment since my last update, so I thought I would share my progress with you.

I now have a small polytunnel - more of a big blow-away to be honest, the start of some decking and the most important set of equipment you can have on an allotment -a table and chairs!

Andy

[alldigging]

Wheres the thermometer from? Does it do min and max for overnight temps?

[Samurailord]

It came from either Lidl or Aldi for £3.99 or £3.49 if I remember correctly.

It does temp at the display unit and the end of a 2m cable, and has max/min settings for both ends.

It also comes with a frost alarm (which I have obviously disabled).

Please feel free to go into the poly and have a look if you want - there are no plants in there yet so there is nothing to disturb, but it is hanging up by the roof so might be a bit out of your reach.

A lot out of reach, probably

Andy

[JetSetPhil]

Have you thought about adding any aquatic plants into your pond? Im sure your frogs would love some!

[alldigging]

There's a lady up the road who has pond plants for us when we have a pond ready for some.

LOL I'm not *that* short!

[Samurailord]

LOL I'm not *that* short!

I know you're not, but I had to reach up above my head to read it so you will almost certainly have to use a step of some kind.

Andy

[alldigging]

I know you're not, but I had to reach up above my head to read it so you will almost certainly have to use a step of some kind.

Andy

LOL Oh ok I'll wait til you're down there for a nosey then

[Samurailord]

Have you thought about adding any aquatic plants into your pond? Im sure your frogs would love some!

I have a couple ready at home, a big bullrush and another tall plant that I had in a small watergarden on the front, but has really outgrown it.

I am planning on getting them in once I am convinced that I have sealed the hole properly, so if the water level holds for a week I hope that means all is well, and in will go the plants.

I will simply sink the containers that they are currently in rather than trying to plant them on the bottom which shouild provide a bit more security for the frogs and newts as well.

Andy

[Samurailord]

LOL Oh ok I'll wait til you're down there for a nosey then

I might be down later, about 5.30 if I get the chance.

I want to see what is says too

If you see me arrive, come on down

Andy