[homegrown]

Hi all
Has anyone planted any spuds in a polytunnel yet or wat would be the earliest date?
I have a shed with windows too I wonder if they woukd grow in there ?

Cheers dave

[DD.]

Definitely not the shed. You may think it's light in there, but your eyes automatically adjust. They need good all round light.

[solway cropper]

I grow the earliest of my earlies in an unheated greenhouse and normally start them off 2nd or 3rd week in February, weather permitting. The containers are covered with bubble wrap till the shoots are well up and then I often have to fleece them if a hard frost is forecast.

[fatbelly]

In my 1st year on the plot I trialled some Rocket 1st Earlies in the borders of my unheated G/H. I set about 6 tubers in mid February & they raced ahead enjoying the warmth up until May when the G/H became hot during the day.  I lifted them late May which is about 4 weeks before my Earlies in the open ground were ready.

The yield was good but the taste was bland & nothing like that lovely new spud taste that we all love. I think it was the heat in the G/H in May that did for them.

My G/H was on the plot & because of work I only went down at the weekend so I couldn't regulate the inside temp. If I had a poly or G/H in my garden & could open the doors & windows each day for ventilation then I would give them another go. A fellow plotter who is retired and went the plot each day did the same as me and he said his were delicious, again I think this was because he went down each day he was able to regulate the temp of his G/H simply by opening the doors & windows each day.

[shokkyy]

I grew first earlies in my tunnel last year, planted in Feb, and they did very well in there.

[homegrown]

was looking into a buying a small one to cover a few spuds to try
i think il wait till end feb now just to be safe and use fleece etc for a month or so
seeing as they take a while to show and grow