Potatoes

[alisha79]

Hi all,

Walking around the allotments today i noticed that everyone elses potatoes appear to have been planted differantly to mine. I have planted mine in trenches with the removed soil in mounds either side ready for earthing up.... everyone elses seem to have the potatoes coming out of the top of mounds. Could it be that they have already earthed theirs up? Hope doesn't sound too silly but its my first time.

[terrier]

I think that as long as the ground has been well dug over, the potatoes will grow anyway. At least you should get nice straight rows of plants.

[Flummery]

I earth mine up at the time. Therefore mine peek out of the top of the mound. Many people don't earth up until the shoots show. As long as they end up earthed up I don't think it matters. Each person can rationalise why they do it their way but I think really it's a matter of style. Do it how you feel happy doing it.

Flum

[rustylady]

Some people plant theirs on the level Alisha, and then earth them up. I prefer your way, and both work perfectly well.

[Snadger]

I'm trying to explode a myth this year by NOT earthing up my tatties!
They will have a heavy mulch of farmyard manure around them though!

[terrier]

I don't earth up the spuds growing in the mound of waste in the corner of the patch and I still get lovely spuds from it.

[Tigerella]

Hi

I can not understand why spuds need earthing up! Dont all roots grow downwards. I think that is the reason for earthing up, that the new spuds will be near the surface and go green.
Its my first year, I planted my spuds 6" to 10" below the soil level and I am hoping thats all I need to do.

Tigerella

[heebiejeebie]

Mine started in rows with the earth in ridges between rows ready for earthing up. Now I've earthed them up the tatties are just poking out of ridges.

[allotmentvirgin]

I didn't earth mine up last year. but did plant them in a deep trench with plenty of mulch and they came out fine,but the weeds were a nightmare.

[Mrs Dobby]

We planted ours below a large inverted V mound of soil, an idea shared with us by another more experienced plotholder, the idea being that they then dont need to be earthed up, so we'll see how it goes, and if we get a good result, then we'll do it the same way again next year, if not, then we'll try another way!