potato confusion

[Anthonyox10]

Hey all

So i planted potatoes in a potato grow bag on my balcony 2/3 weeks ago and i was under the impression that when they break the surface you keep covering them? Is this right?

I only ask because there are leaves on them now so do i keep covering them or leave them to grow and just civer the stalk?

[Bigmallly]

The traditional way is to cover them up as they grow, I personally don't bother but I plant them deep 9"-12". You have to be wary of frost as it can kill the foliage but will re-grow.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I always leave about 4" of haulm showing unless a frost is forecast then I cover to protect it.

Don't fill your bag to the top leave about 3" for watering purposes.

[Anthonyox10]

Yeh i havent filled the bag, its probably only about half full as i keep covering the plant as it grows....as the weather has improved greatly i might just leave it to grow for a bit then mound up if the weather dips.

Thankssss

[polc1410]

The plant has two places it can get energy... Its original seed or photosybthising it through leaves.

Keep covering the leaves eventually there is no reserve left in the seed. So people use a range of different methods. One is plant deep and don't earth up. Think for small weak seeds that risks nothing coming up. One is plant normal and earth up. Outdoor earthing up was usually a one off procedure done once the potato was 4-6" tall and covered all but maybe the very top leaves.

People have evolved that over the last 100 years to earth up to protect from frost and so want no leaves showing and they say they get an earlier crop. I know people who say if the frost getsthe leaves the plant usually recovers... But cropping is delayed.

Others are earthing up little and often. That's very common with bag growers. The theory being that you make more plant grow under soil you get more tubers. If that's the theory and frost is no risk keep some leaves showing.

I think potato growers should have to declare their ambition for their crop as I think technique varies with ambition. Ambitions might be... Earliest possible crop, biggest yield by weight, big individual potatoes, perfect show bench potato, disease free potato, organic / not, flavour.

Yeh so we might all want all of the above but for some flavour is far more important than yield or harvest date. For many on here you get the feeling harvest date is crucial as there is always a scurry to plant early. I've got a plot neighbour who seems to have mastered yield still eating some of last years main crop. Not sure he has planted this years yet...