Earthing up spuds a bit pointless

**1Bee** · 26-04-2018, 10:17 AM

I always find I can't really pile the soil up high enough to cover the foliage... it just kind of bounces off and rolls down. But I plant early so I do fleece as well.

**Thelma Sanders** · 26-04-2018, 10:33 AM

It does protect them from frost for a while when they are first planted, and later stops the spuds near the surface turning green.
I think the temptation is to have the rows too close together, so there isn't enough soil between for earthing them up much.

**veggiechicken** · 26-04-2018, 10:45 AM

I plant deep and don't bother earthing up. Mine are just showing now.

**lottie dolly** · 26-04-2018, 11:50 AM

I am gona try that this year down the plot VC,save time and space,after all is that not what the suprize one's do,and they fine,never to old to lean a new trick as they say,hope no rain day to get em in.

**Jimny14** · 26-04-2018, 01:34 PM

I did the same last year VC, bury em deep and don't earth up. Have also done same this year, not sure there's any noticeable difference yield wise.

**4Shoes** · 26-04-2018, 02:17 PM

I like to earth up as I think it makes them easier to harvest and keeps the weeds down.
2 weeks or so and then safe from frost.

**veggiechicken** · 26-04-2018, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by Jimny14 View Post

I did the same last year VC, bury em deep and don't earth up. Have also done same this year, not sure there's any noticeable difference yield wise.

Mine are in open bottomed pots/MFB s sat on a weedy bed. I put a seed spud in the bottom of the bucket and cover it with the soil from the next bucket, and so on until they're all full.Come harvesting, I empty the buckets into a wheelbarrow, pick out the spuds, bin the foliage, and refill the buckets. ready for replanting.

**Bren In Pots** · 26-04-2018, 06:13 PM

I don't earth up mine either they're are grown in recycling boxes then topped up to the top with soil, dalek compost and leaf mould. Plus some grass clippings to keep the moisture in.

**rary** · 26-04-2018, 10:34 PM

Just a note to remind folk that earthing up also helps break up the soil, this is one of the reasons potatoes are recommended as a first crop in a new garden, though l just push a pipe into the soil to remove a plug and drop a potato down the hole then replace the soil

**Jimmy** · 27-04-2018, 01:29 AM

I must admit having earthed mine up they do look lovely and neat in their little regemented rows.
One of the main rules in veg growing, things must be in neat, orderly rows.
No random planting and no compostable species.
Jimmy.

**WeeGarden** · 27-04-2018, 07:12 AM

Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post

Mine are in open bottomed pots/MFB s sat on a weedy bed. I put a seed spud in the bottom of the bucket and cover it with the soil from the next bucket, and so on until they're all full.Come harvesting, I empty the buckets into a wheelbarrow, pick out the spuds, bin the foliage, and refill the buckets. ready for replanting.

that's brilliant! Do you use the same soil for next year, so theoretically no crop rotation?

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Earthing up spuds a bit pointless

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