Too late to manure for spuds?

[Frankiebaby]

I've just taken on an allotment and I'm keen to grow potatoes. I read in my allotment book that I should have added manure in these bed in the autumn. Does anyone know if I can still add rotted manure or if I should use some other fertilier this time like chicken manure pellets (I have a free tubs of this).

Thanks, I'm feeling more than a little clueless!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the Vine.

When I planted spuds last year I put a dollop of well rotted in the trench then bunged the seed spud on top. It worked for me! The spuds I did in buckets had a handful of chicken manure pellets stirred into the compost before the placing of the spud. Got good results so would suggest you needn't worry about not having manured in the autumn.

Enjoy your gardening and I look forward to reading about it all.

[Geordie]

Hi Frankie and welcome to the Vine, the hardest post is the first one so now its all downhill (literally!) from here on in.

When you decide to plant your spuds, dig a trench, approx one spade wide and one spade deep. Chuck the manure or compost in the bottom, then put a layer of soil on top of the manure or compost so the trench is about half as deep as it was. Plant spuds and then fill with rest of soil so trench ends up as a slightly raised hump (not sure why LJ popped into my mind at this point...lol!).

As the spuds grow, earth up or pile more soil onto the hump to protect the growing tubers.

Good luck!

The word I was looking for was ridge but couldnt remember!

[Snadger]

For tatties you can't have too much well rotted manure!! When you put it on is up to you, but Geordies plan seems a good one!

I will personally chuck some over the top of mine as a mulch as well, for good measure!

[Frankiebaby]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I love this forum!

[sewer rat]

As long as your manure is well rotted then adding at planting is fine. I also grew my earlies in buckets last year and I too used chicken manure pellets mixed through the compost and got great results.
Happy tattie growing!

[Dobby]

we got some 'growing success organic potato fertiliser', its spread on the soil before planting, from Feb to April and helps to ensure the tatties are properly fed! Not used it before, but we will let you know how it gets on!
www.wessexhort.co.uk

[Jan]

Hi all,
had good results growing early spuds in containers last year - can you grow maiancrop ones in containers as well?

[aussie]

Hi am new to this site and to allotments just taken over one so am very interested as think potatoes are going to be my first planting. Have just got a load of manure as well - how many potatoes do I plant to a pot??

[rustylady]

Hi am new to this site and to allotments just taken over one so am very interested as think potatoes are going to be my first planting. Have just got a load of manure as well - how many potatoes do I plant to a pot??

Hi Aussie, if you've got an allotment why are you thinking about planting potatoes in pots? They do really well in open ground and the foliage helps keep weeds down. I would only grow in pots if you haven't the space elsewhere, or if you want really early crop

[aussie]

Hi rustylady, told you I was new at this. New allotment in bad shape lots of blackberry etc not worked on for some time so am eager to start something off at least as taking a lot of time to properly clear the areas. Am starting one bit at a time so thought could start earlies off in pots first??

[JennieAtkinson]

Hello Aussie and Frankiebaby - welcome to the Vine. Good luck with your first sowings.

[aussie]

Hi Jennie can you tell me what paper pots are??