Potatoes under cover?

[LostthePlot]

I was at the plot today and spied a part of it that I thought I could cover with black weed suppresant fabric and grow my tatties through. I was going to put them into pots/tubs/containers as I have only had the plot since November and didn't think I would get enough ground cleared to accomodate what I am planning to grow. I know that potatoes do help to break up ground also. My questions are - Is this method of growing potatoes okay and do I still need to earth them up in some way? I'm still a little baffled with the right way to go about it

[Hazel at the Hill]

Better informed grapes will be along with the def. answer, LTP, however, as I understand it, earthing up just prevents tubers near the surface from going green which is exactly what your black membrane will do.

When you come to dig them up you may find some spuds have grown near/on the surface (under the membrane) but will be OK to eat.

I'd do your way as the black membrane will also suppress any weeds that may be lurking.

[rustylady]

Black membrane will certainly stop the spuds going green, but I've never grown them this way. You will need to dig enough ground to bury the seed potatoes, and you will also need to make holes in the membrane to let the potato shoots through. Do you plan to cover the ground after the potatoes have sent up shoots?

[LostthePlot]

My plan was to scatter the area with some manure first, lay the membrane over the area where the potatoes are going to go (the ground is quite loose, not compacted too much) and simply slit the membrane and bury the potatoes through these. I am trying to do some homework to find out if I can plant a catch crop betwen the rows using the same method. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

[Flummery]

You might have some trouble depending on what weeds you are trying to suppress. My old allotment (we moved house so don't have it now) was a martyr to couch grass and the roots would go right through spuds in their search for water. You could find yourself with lots of grass roots criss-crossing in your tubers. If you don't have couch as a problem weed you should be ok.

[JennieAtkinson]

My plan was to scatter the area with some manure first, lay the membrane over the area where the potatoes are going to go (the ground is quite loose, not compacted too much) and simply slit the membrane and bury the potatoes through these. I am trying to do some homework to find out if I can plant a catch crop betwen the rows using the same method. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

LTP - I grew some potatoes last year the no dig method. Its more than once described on the Forum, but in a nutshell, strimmed the area, covered with cardboard, covered with manure (about 4" deep), then membrane. I planted my potatoes throught the membrane into the manure and then covered the membrane with grass cuttings.
I still had problems with green potatoes though. The potatoes managed to push themselves up and so raised the membrane slightly and despite keeping the grass cuttings to a good layer and dampened down regularly there were often parts which were not covered (windy day etc.!) BUT it was still worth it, I got a great number of potatoes and the area was dug over for me. I have forked it over this season (in fact meant to take a photograph to put on the Forum) and its absolutely great soil and just ready for me now to plant my brassicas in. I would definately do it again. Problem for me this year is that I can't lay my hands on enough good manure!
Hope this helps

[Silverfox]

Thanks for asking this Q Losttheplot. I was coming online to ask the exact same question and the same way you plan (with the poo, then the black covering and a hole to pop the potato into). I already have the poo down, I did this over winter to suppress the weeds and have found it a great help.

I also have one extra Q to add to this, When I should I be thinking about planting them out? I live about 30 miles from London so we do get warmer weather than up north but I am a bit scared that it is still a bit to cold and I will lose my seed potato’s due to this. I did have it planned in my diary to do it 2 weekends ago (the first weekend of march) but it was still to wet. We have not had much rain this week and was thinking maybe I could get them in this weekend when I have volunteered helpers (My friend have been told by their Legs, Bums, and Tums teachers that digging with folks are good for your bum mussels so they have all offered there services – I must pay that teacher a fiver next time I see her!!!!)

[Mrs Dobby]

We're a nit further north than you, Manchester, and one of the old lads on our plot has already planted his Early Spuds, so it may be worth a go, but I'd see what other folks in your area / on your plot are doing. Personally we are going to plant ours on Easter Bank Holiday Monday, tho it will probably rain being a bank holiday!

[kittykat8]

I live in cornwall and thought I would plant on saturday, I was going to plant a little deeper in case we get futher frosts. what do people think. Also canyou you plant your seconds and main at the same time if not when would you plant.

marion

[Geordie]

I I know that potatoes do help to break up ground

Potatoes only help break up the ground because of the digging done when using the traditional planting method.

[Flummery]

Traditionally you plant your spuds on Good Friday - although as this varies so greatly from year to year I think you can assume a lot of leeway! Hoping to get mine in (earlies) next week. The veg plot is in the garden so I can go out and do a bit of 'fleecing' later on if there's a frost forecast.

[vron]

Potatoes

Hi having read all the threads on when everyone is going to plant their spuds.

I think we may have planted ours to early, we planted the 1st earlies 'Maris Bard' and 2nd earlies 'Int Kidney' in on friday 16/03/07, then the weather changed for the worst. Do you think they will survive this cold snap.

[Flummery]

I'm sure they' fine. You only need to worry when they peep up above the ground, when the frost could get at the leaves. As soon as you see them appear, earth them up by dragging the soil either side of the row to cover the leaves. You can do this several times.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Dumb question, I know, but got to ask.......does the covering have to be a membrane? I know this is better for watering etc. but I have some black plastic I could use, in which I could cut drainage holes instead of using membrane. What does everyone think? Bernie aka Dexterdog