[nitiram]

Got my spuds in yesterday in gloriouss sunshine. i have either read some where or heard on GQT that you can put a layer of shredded paper in the bottom of the spud trench once they have been planted. keeps them warm for a bit.I have plenty of shredded paper but would like tos ee what you think...wouldn't the paper harbour slugs and snails that would eat my spud shoots?

John...have had an idea...wot another one I can hera you cry..... What about a 'seed swap' folder? I was setting some beetroot and certainly don't want 200.....plus plants so only used a few seeds. as the shelf life of some seeds is not too long just thought it might be a good idea???

[John]

I've not heard about the shredded paper in the potatoe trench thing before. I would have thought it counter productive - no nutrition and maybe causing water logging,

Sometimes an idea is good on one type of soil but not another,has anyone tried this?

Seed Swops
Easy to set up a folder for it but I do have some concerns about people giving each other their home addresses. I know we're all a little strange on here but some people are stranger than others  

I've had my own address on the net for years without any problem but I'd hate someone to get harrased because a packet of seeds didn't arrive.

Anyone got any experience of this sort of thing on the net - am I being too cautious? I suppose people swop addresses every time on ebay.

Can we have a few comments / suggestions please?

[Rural Living]

I wonder if the reason for putting paper in the trench is to maintain moisture. If I plant shrubs during a dry period I always put shredded paper in the bottom of the hole and wet it well. It does seem to help the plant to establish. Not heard about putting paper in the trench when planting potatoes but perhaps its the same idea as they do like plenty of moisture.

[nitiram]

Plenty of moisture here today !!!!!

John, have swapped seeds before on another allotment site that I don't visit very often now because this one is soooo good...without any problems. It is the email I always have problems with and use several..one for personal one for the web etc.

[lentil987]

I use ebay quite alot and have had no problems with obtaining peoples addresses etc.
I would love to have a seed swap part to the website and perhaps in with that some guidance as to how to get your own seeds from your plants.
I know that may seem a daft question but I have never harvested my own seeds and would love to try especially my tomatoes which normally turn out fabulously well.
for instance do you just pick out the seeds and let them dry - but do you wash them first or do you put them on a window
I am quite clueless!!

[Martin]

I know that may seem a daft question but I have never harvested my own seeds and would love to try especially my tomatoes which normally turn out fabulously well.

The seeds I got from Real Seeds all have seed saving instructions. For tomatoes it seems easy, although I haven't tried it:
Scoop out the seeds, put in glass jar and leave to go mouldy for 3 days.
After 3-4 days rinse off and spread on newspaper to dry.
Sow newspaper and seeds together.

They also run a seed saving course:
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedcourse.html

[lentil987]

Thanks for that tip, I will definately give it a go at the end of the season.

[kooringa]

For years I used layers of newspaper in the potato trenches and it worked fine.  Worked well in clay soil as it gave them a bit of a breather and it worked well in my flint soil here as it retains some of the moisture, and rots down.  

I now use my all my shredded paper in the compost bin, the bean trenches and also the potato trenches. I also haved added over the winter months my kitchen waste - such as it is after the chickens have had first choice.  It all rots down, together with brassica leaves, and have just put a layer of pig muck in the trenches.

We don't have water on our allotment site so any help to retain moisture is a life saver.  I get brilliant spuds and beans - ang get lots of compliments from the 'old timers' up there.  Who just rotorvate plough a trench and throw them in!

I just recommend that you experiment with any ideas on  a trial.  Do some with a method that you are interested in and the remainder in your usual way.  That's what I did - then I saw the difference for myself.  If there is not difference then you know not to try the same thing again the next year - what ever it is you are trialing.nh

[Ian_P]

Hi,
An article in the Telegraph garddening section on Saturday suggested putting newspaper in the bottom of trenches for potatioes and beans to preserve moisture and reduce watering need

[noshed]

What do people think? Newspaper in the bottom of bean trenches, layer of compost then soil. I was thinking of planting straight into the plot in May.
Any other theories gratefully received.

[twhincup]

my father maintains putting shredded paper around lettuces and the like to help keep slugs at bay, dont know if it works but he also says gravel as well (thinks slugs cant travel on gravel)
I bought 5 litres of slug pellet (pet friendly) just in case  

[twysted1]

i planted my spuds on the 25 march and i found they had all  popped there heads up yesterday. i haven't put paper under them or anything else for that matter. i'm really excited now, do i need to cover the shoots straigth away with soil to protect against frosts? or only cover them when we are expecting a hard frost?

[John]

You can bet the frost will come when you're away from home or something. So keep them earthed up or cover with horticultural fleece would be my advice.

Fleece is good as it allows energy to go into the plant but earthing up is needed later anyway to stop the tubers from being exposed to light and going green. Green spuds are not good for you - don't eat them.

[noshed]

My spuds are up too - hooray!

[John]

My spuds are up too - hooray!

Aye but they're namby pamby southern spuds
Not that I'm jealous, honest.