Potatoes / Shallots

[Ibroxblue]

Hi All,

I am a newbie gardener who has just taken over an allotment that needed clearing badly - I have managed to dig about a quarter of my plot and would like to ask for advice on preparing the ground for potatoes.

I have been told that manure or well rotted compost should have been dug in last year but I obviously did not have the plot at the time - what can I do now to prepare the ground for planting in April (I have chitted Maris Pipers and Caras) - should I still dig in manure or add chicken pellets?

Also with regards to shallots I was going to make a small raised bed probably 6" deep and fill with compost and then have been advised to add some growmore - is this the right depth of bed or should this be deeper and would the above be ok?

Thanks in advance.

[Capsid]

Dig a trench for the potatoes and lay manure in the bottom and then place the spuds on top of that. Sprinkle chicken pellets on the soil dug from the trench and then use this to cover the spuds up.

The depth of bed for shallots should be OK, they are not deep rooted.

[Ibroxblue]

Mark,

Thanks again for your help - does this have to be well rotted manure?

Stuart

[Capsid]

Mark,

Thanks again for your help - does this have to be well rotted manure?

Stuart

Yes, I'd advise that, although a grape has used shredded newspaper as a way of retaining moisture under the spuds. I checked back at their blog (can't recall who it was) and they aren't repeating the paper method this year and are returning to manure.

[Two_Sheds]

I've never used manure, and I've never put any feed on my spuds ... I always get a bumper crop anyway.
The ground is more nutritious than you might think ... if weeds are growing on it, then veggies will grow on it.

btw, I mulch my spuds with grass clippings ... they like the acidic conditions and it helps prevent scab (if your soil is on the alkaline side)