Potato Patch - manure or no manure

[VirginVegGrower]

Can anyone clarify whether manure on your potato patch, dug in well before planting is OK. My book says not to manure on ground for root crops and whilst I understand this as far as carrots and parsnips are concerned, it specifies that potatos fall into that camp too?
Am confused

[Hazel at the Hill]

Potatoes love manure - the more well rotted the better.

In my 4 yr rotation, the coming year's potato patch is piled high with a thick blanket of manure in autumn/winter. We have fresh manure delivered to the Hill, so it's fresh when it goes on the beds, but within two or three months or so when the winter weather and the worms have done their work, a quick tickle over with the fork, and they're good to plant the spuds into.

[VirginVegGrower]

Potatoes love manure - the more well rotted the better.

In my 4 yr rotation, the coming year's potato patch is piled high with a thick blanket of manure in autumn/winter. We have fresh manure delivered to the Hill, so it's fresh when it goes on the beds, but within two or three months or so when the winter weather and the worms have done their work, a quick tickle over with the fork, and they're good to plant the spuds into.

That's lovely,thank you! I have well rotted manure which I have been late in putting on in certain areas of the allotment. Could I still add that now and plant seed tubers come end March?

[Hazel at the Hill]

That's lovely,thank you! I have well rotted manure which I have been late in putting on in certain areas of the allotment. Could I still add that now and plant seed tubers come end March?

Oh, yes - and they will thank you for it.

What spuds are you growing?

[VirginVegGrower]

Oh, yes - and they will thank you for it.

What spuds are you growing?

First Earlies = Duke of York and Pentland Javelin
Second Earlies = Maris Peer
Maincrop = Maris Piper and Desiree
Salad - Pink Fir

[VirginVegGrower]

The children are also growing in bags this year, five tubers each of Rocket (son) and Charlotte (daughter).

[Hazel at the Hill]

The children are also growing in bags this year, five tubers each of Rocket (son) and Charlotte (daughter).

What will you feed them on?!

[VirginVegGrower]

What will you feed them on?!

MANURE, MANURE, MANURE! although son already eats us out of house and home. Nearly 14 and he has reached that double portion of breakfast in the morning
Good job daughter is slim jim and has the appetite of a bird!

I need another coffee, obviously!

[sarahspatch]

Can anyone clarify whether manure on your potato patch, dug in well before planting is OK. My book says not to manure on ground for root crops and whilst I understand this as far as carrots and parsnips are concerned, it specifies that potatos fall into that camp too?
Am confused

I've been thinking the exact same question!!

Having some well-rotted manure delivered this weekend and want to get on and put a load on the potato area.

Good job I've roped my other-half in to help!

[VirginVegGrower]

I've been thinking the exact same question!!

Having some well-rotted manure delivered this weekend and want to get on and put a load on the potato area.

Good job I've roped my other-half in to help!

I am about to go up the plot and my other half has been dragging his heels with that four letter word...work! So will be there on my own lugging muck and planting broad bean seedlings.
Very tempted to put in some early peas until I saw weather forecast. Going below freezing at night in the midlands for the next few days. Grey and overcast here today. Was beautiful yesterday when I couldn't get up there...grrr
Good luck for the weekend!

[sarahspatch]

I am about to go up the plot and my other half has been dragging his heels with that four letter word...work! So will be there on my own lugging muck and planting broad bean seedlings.
Very tempted to put in some early peas until I saw weather forecast. Going below freezing at night in the midlands for the next few days. Grey and overcast here today. Was beautiful yesterday when I couldn't get up there...grrr
Good luck for the weekend!

I no its strange how they have a lot of say in the lottie, love eating the 'fruits' of our labour but are anything but enthusiastic when it comes to digging/rotavating!

Overcast here too, and very cold .....thought it was meant to be sunny this avo, mr weatherman...!

[morverngirl]

Hope you don't mind me joining your conversation. I too am in Midlands and it's freezing today. My hubbie great at helping me on what was my new overgrown plot that i gained last year. What's the secret - he helps me for an hour and I don't moan when he goes off afterwards for a round of golf- life is about trade-ins. I've decided to follow lead of our older, sorry more experienced allotmenteers and wait 'til after 21st before i plant/sow too much. My daughters love their veg and neighbours queueing up for freebie veg.

[VirginVegGrower]

Hope you don't mind me joining your conversation. I too am in Midlands and it's freezing today. My hubbie great at helping me on what was my new overgrown plot that i gained last year. What's the secret - he helps me for an hour and I don't moan when he goes off afterwards for a round of golf- life is about trade-ins. I've decided to follow lead of our older, sorry more experienced allotmenteers and wait 'til after 21st before i plant/sow too much. My daughters love their veg and neighbours queueing up for freebie veg.

Just been up to the allotment and it is cold. Spent three-four hours and nobody else there at all.
In fairness to OH he has been building a hen pen in his spare time but I keep piling the jobs up - crack that whip.
Golf, he has time for golf?
I have only been planting garlic, shallots and broad beans at the moment with the latter cloched until warmer weather appears. Sitting tight on my hands as I want to get my onions and peas in
Most of the work at the moment is prep work, putting in raised beds and pathways, raking over and manuring, moving currant canes.

[gojiberry]

I only use manure for potatoes if it is well rotted and I can put it on the beds in the autumn. I have found from my own experience that if I try and manure any later than Autumn I end up with bad scab. I do however find that mulching with grass clippings reduces the likely hood of scab.

Ian

[Angry Janice]

I have only just been given a lot of well rotted manure. I am making tea with it. Can I water the potatoes with it while they grow?

Janice