Earthing up?

[Eve1]

Hi guys,

I am growing potatoes in compost bags. I am trying first earlies, second earlies and a variety called 'pink fir' (not sure which catogory that falls into!). Two of the bags i've planted have started to get a little flower head/ leafy looking thing sprouting up, which is probably about 1cm high. My question is, what do I do now? I've read abot this earthing up, does that mean I need to place more compost on top of this flower/leafy looking thing or should I wait will it grows some more?

Any ideas/ help much appreciated.

[Eyren]

Yes, you just dump more compost on top, to cover the leaves. If the weather's mild where you are, you can wait until the shoots are a bit bigger - it's mainly to protect them from frost, as well as encourage them to grow more potatoes (which are borne on side-shoots off the main stem, not on the roots). Mine are growing so fast at the moment, I'm earthing them up nearly twice a week!

Pink fir apple is a maincrop salad potato, so it won't be ready until late summer or early autumn. Fingers crossed we don't have another bad year for blight - I have some Mayan Gold maincrops that I'm looking forward to!

[jonohanson]

With my first earlies (rocket) I have tried a little experiment, the ones at the lottie I have earthed, and the ones in my kitchen garden at home I have not. My reasoning for this is as they are in the ground a short time (8 weeks ish) that earthing up might actually hinder the crop, so no eathing may=bigger spuds vs earthing = more smaller spuds. Time will tell, I wont be doing this with my main crops though as they have a much longer growing period.

[Getoffmylande]

The best time to earth up is once you have proper growth with leaves etc poking around six inches above the compost. Add more filler to just leave the top heads showing. Keep going till the bag is full then enjoy.

[Droppey]

How do you know what are first or second earlies?

[terrier]

How do you know what are first or second earlies?

All you need to know about spuds

The European Cultivated Potato Database

[Droppey]

cheers me dears

[Fluorescent green]

My reasoning for this is as they are in the ground a short time (8 weeks ish) that earthing up might actually hinder the crop, so no eathing may=bigger spuds vs earthing = more smaller spuds.

I found that it could also lead to green spuds, because they are too close to the surface.

FG

[cupcake]

I only covered my potatoes in bags on wednesday and they are poking through already!

[jonohanson]

I found that it could also lead to green spuds, because they are too close to the surface.

FG

Ahh didnt think of that, its only a trial with 5 so no harm as the main crop has been earthed up as normal.

[gojiberry]

I was always taught not to cover the growing tip of the potato (unless frost is forecast) and to only earth up to but not over the growing tip. I have got some at the moment that I will have a problem with if I get a frost now as they are fully earthed up and have at least a 6" green shoot above the top of the ridge. Still I knew it was a risk when I planted them that early.

Ian

[jackie j]

I have been putting more on mine nearly everyday and still they poke through. Nearly at the top of the bag now.

[Bazza]

Same here. The swift earlies I planted in bags need earthing up about three times a week and are now almost right up to the top.

[tattieman]

I have mine in an 18" high grower bag and compost bags.
When the tips are about 1cm through I give them a really good watering and add 6" of dry compost on top and do the same again when they pop through.
I would roll your compost bags down to between 18"-20" and when they get to the top of that let then grow so that the spuds start to develop.

[Mindy]

Morning all, hope you have this glorious sunshine wherever you are today.
We've decided this year to have a go at growing spuds underneath weed suppresant - it's pretty good grade and has done a fab job of keeping down the weeds over the winter. We slit the sheet and planted the spuds through and then tucked back the matting to let the shoots emerge - which they started to do last week. I've dumped a little pile of well rotted manure over each one, just to try and give them a bit of protection in case of frost - is this ok? The other option is to cover with another bit of sheeting until they are bigger - what do you think? Does it adversely affect the spuds if they are completely covered again once the shoots have appeared? Thanks