early potatoes

[Pottypotter]

Any more opinions gratefully accepted

[serenity]

I have read that you can cut the potatoes in half and plant both but was a bit dubious about this.

Recently overturned my black compost bin to mix the content and was horified as I found lots of white thread like growths inside. first thoughts was bind weed had got in there but on closer inspection the white threads were emerging from bits of uncomposted potato peelings The peelings were quite thick, aprox 1cm thick (must have been one of OH's veggie shepherds pie nights )

[Flummery]

I never cut a seed spud. As Lesley says, you've paid folding currency for it. You know it will crop well. Why fix it if it ain't broke? I also plant my seed spuds about 6" deep (using a bulb planter!) I earth up slightly at this stage - mainly to show me where the rows are before anything comes through - old age is a terrible thing! As they emerge I earth up more. Your seed potato might be 10" deep, but as mentioned above, your crop will be in various places - on the end of the shoots. They can very easily be much higher and susceptible to greening. As Lesley said, this is only my opinion but I wouldn't compromise a certified seed potato. There doesn't seem to be any measurable evidence that your crop improves.

Flum

[shirlthegirl43]

I have heard that in the US, seed merchants just post the eyes to save on postage costs

Hello and welcome to the Vine TEB.

I have some spuds (not seed ones) which are sprouting - might try planting just a few eyes to see what happens!!

[TEB]

Hi Shirley,
it was mentioned by Geoff Hamilton on a gardners world re-run (I noticed he never tried it though).
I know I am in the right forum after reading the Flummery post about compromising a seed potato, never attempted such an action myself but I once had to have harsh words with a French Bean .

[Cutecumber]

*gasps*

you scoundrel!

[Flummery]

And of course you heard about the two carrots that had a pea up against the wall!

[dexterdoglancashire]

And of course you heard about the two carrots that had a pea up against the wall!

Very funny! Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Flummery]

And the pumpkin that was desperate for a leek!

[woode29]

hi new to this game can anyone tell me how to plant potatoes and wht earthing up means

[denise]

Has anyone tried planting under plastic / membrane? My potatoes are very well chitted and will walk to the plot on their own soon, But my engery levels are at an all time low at the moment and so i cant go plant them, but i could manage to pin down membrane, cut holes etc. Please help.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine woode29.

I grow spuds in 10litre flower buckets which I buy from the supermarket. I drill holes in these and put a little gravel in the bottom for drainage. I then put a couple inches of multipurpose compost in and a handful of chicken manure pellets. Then I put a seed potato in and cover it with a couple inches more compost. This leaves most of the bucket empty. Once the leaves show through the compost, I let them grow about 3 inches or so then top up the compost till just the tops of the leaves are showing again - repeat this until the bucket is full then wait patiently until they have flowered and the stalks die back. The reason for earthing up (as explained above I think) is that the potatoes form from sprouts off the stalks which grow from the seed spud - they can get close to the surface of the soil and then they turn green and become poisonous.

Water them if the weather is dry and water lots at the potato forming stage (once the buckets are full of compost and the stalks are about a foot high I think) if you grow in buckets

It is more usual to plant spuds in the ground but I haven't got enough dug space yet to give to spuds and you also get some re-growing where you missed one last year! Might be an idea to grow some in buckets for your first go. Lots of people fill the compost to the top of the bucket straight away but I do it in stages as it is fun to watch them growing

[shirlthegirl43]

Has anyone tried planting under plastic / membrane? My potatoes are very well chitted and will walk to the plot on their own soon, But my engery levels are at an all time low at the moment and so i cant go plant them, but i could manage to pin down membrane, cut holes etc. Please help.

Sorry your energy is so low - mine too at the moment - hence still growing spuds in buckets this year as I just can't get the garden area dug and de-brambled in time. Can't help on the membrane front though. Why not try buckets? Easier to cope with as you can do just a couple at a time.

[HeyWayne]

Noticed the first leaves on my second earlies (Maris Peer) today. I've now covered the leaves in earth, is this the right thing to do?

[Flummery]

Sounds ok. They'll some through again - you don't want them wiped out by an unexpected frost.