Planting potatoes in Essex newbee help plz

[Betty123]

Hi,
I fairly new to Veggie Growing so help needed plz! Im in Essex and the ground is still totally soaked after all the rain and snow.
Ive not yet put my onions and potatoes in as Im worreid they will just rot.... any advice please?

[Jungle Jane]

Hi Betty I haven’t put any potatoes in yet the temperatures supposed to be about zero degrees this weekend. Are you on an allotment or in a garden? You could put a cloche up to keep your onion area a bit dryer or mound the soil up so it drains more easily like a raised bed without wood. I’d wait & see if the temperatures improves Monday before planting anything.

[Snoop Puss]

Hi Betty, welcome to the Vine.

I agree with Jungle Jane. It's a bit cold to be planting out potatoes and a bit wet to be planting out onion sets.

Neither are likely to rot just yet. Where have you got them at the moment? How long are the chits (sprouting growths) on your potatoes? Ideal conditions for potatoes are somewhere coolish (but frost free) and a bit of light (not direct).

[Mr Bones]

Hi Betty and welcome to the Vine, not putting our spuds or onions in yet either, it needs to warm up a bit first

[Bluenowhere]

I’ve not planted my onions or potatoes yet either, far too wet. I’m on the clay part of Kent rather than the sand, so far too cold in the soil with the snow and rain and temps dropping again this weekend. Probably similar conditions to you so I’m holding off for another week.

Last year I planted both at the end of March beginning April (as was first year of allotment so only got an area cleared for them at that point), still got good crops and onions stored lovely, still eating then now so don’t panic just yet about getting them in, better to wait rather than risk them rotting in my opinion.

My allotment neighbour used to work at a potato institute and she doesn’t plant either until the second week of April (she express her surprise at my ‘early’ planting last year and I though I was very late, so as with everything there are multiple ways to skin a cat or a sweetcorn

[nickdub]

If you want a few early potatoes, and you have somewhere light and warm there's nothing to stop you putting a few in pots to start growing. Just use a mix of soil and compost and put one potato in per large pot. The when the weather does warm up, you can knock the whole lot out and plant it like that.

[It never rains..it pours]

Hello Betty welcome to the addiction
Wet......you southerners dont know what wet is

[Betty123]

Thank you Jungle Jane and good to know your in Essex too! hopefully I can follow your posts and get some tips along the way............ If I work out how to use this lol.
Ill hold fire for another week as you say the weekends forecast if so cold.

[Betty123]

Hi, thank you for your reply!
Ive got the in a spare room its has good light but no heating as I turned off the rad in that room, the chits are about 1" they look healthy. But Ill wait another week and see if the soiisla bit dryer.

[Betty123]

Hi and thank you for your reply, everyone has been so good with advice!

Im a home gardener on raised beds so have limited space, Ive drawn up a sketch so I know what in where and will rotate it every year.

I will wait another week or 2 depending on the weather, thats whats so brilliant about The Vine there is so much expertise to tap into for us newbee growers.

[It never rains..it pours]

I put a sheet over my plot a month ago so could plant in dry clay (improved with compost & horse manure) last week and it will stay on untill they are through. Cool room be good as slows dehydration down

[Snoop Puss]

^ Sounds like you know what you're doing on the chitting front! Perfect conditions and perfect chits. For potatoes, I think cold is more of a problem than the wet. Wait till the worst of the chilly conditions are over.

[Dalrimple]

i'm not puting any spuds in yet it's to cold and wet where I am ! i'm going to plant my onion sets in modules or paper pots using m.p. compost tomorow and get them going in the green house ,i'll get a heater lit over the weekend just to keep em warm, I did see a bloke on youtube that had started his spuds off in cut down milk cartons and they had leaves growing! I like to think the roots are growing first so ill give that a miss. atb Dal.