[teflon]

I've got some shoots coming through on my potatoes(about 2-3 inches) Should i cover these shoots completely when i earth up or leave the top of the shoot  free of soil?
  Cheers
 Tel.

[Mythi]

Cover them completely until the last chance of frost has passed is what I'm doing.

Am sure someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly

[Erfurt]

Covering them is a good idea for frost protection.....but.... plants need the suns energy.
What is the nature of your site? Is it possible that they are in a position susceptible to frost? What I do is once the leaves start showing I manure between the rows. Spuds can get a wee nip of frost and survive. It would need to be a hard frost to kill the plant. Keep an eye on the forecast and earth up as the plant grows, dont be too fussy about covering some leaves when earthing up.

[Paul Plots]

The little devils keep sticking their heads up though, don't they! 

I've earthed mine up twice recently - from dead flat to Mount Etna and still they are determined to stick their necks out.... 

Best way is to keep an eye on local weather forecasts and then dash about covering up if frost threatens.... I've used grass-mowings before now when I am desperate to cover the tops and simply can't earth-up any more.

Fleece or sheets of newspaper with the odd clod of earth on to keep them in place will do the trick.... I've found, anyway.

Eventually.... when chance of frost is gone let them grow up and get on with the job of making those lovely tubers! 

Butter at the ready for some tasty earlies.. 

[Yorkie]

In addition to the above posts, there's a few more answers on this thread too which you might find of interest

[shaun]

hope this helps heres a pic from a few years ago




before


after


the end

[Paul Plots]

Very nice Shaun! 

I bet that lot filled a fair few hessian sacks 

[Kabby]

Wow.....did you eat them all?!

[Broadhaven]

Hi Shaun

I am also new to veg growing. My potatoes at the moment are about just sprouting through. Should I leave them to get to the height re your 1st photo? I also see that you haven't coverd completley re 2nd photo. Is there a reason for that?

[Trillium]

Potatoes mustn't be completely covered when earthing up as they still need light to grow. The idea of earthing up is to bring soil/whatever to cover the original ground level where young tubers will pop out of the ground and up part of the sides of the plant to ensure all the tubers remain covered after any rain flattens the mounding a bit.

[shaun]

Hi Shaun

I am also new to veg growing. My potatoes at the moment are about just sprouting through. Should I leave them to get to the height re your 1st photo? I also see that you haven't coverd completley re 2nd photo. Is there a reason for that?

if i remember that was the 2nd time i earthed those up,the 1st time i would have completely covered them,
heres this afternoons earthing up session,some are covered others are not,

[Paul Plots]

So, Shaun, what would you do if frost threatens? 

I belt down to cover mine as best I can....and as completely as I can one way or another.

Frost ought to come with a sell-by date so we know when it is over for the year 

[shaun]

if we get any more frosts here (i dont think we will) then its only going to yellow those top leaves,and the plant will recover in no time at all.
I have a row of earlies that were fleeced over until a few weeks ago.they are too big now to earth over 
the farmer around the corner has took his fleece off his earlies so i just copied him 

[Paul Plots]

Sounds good to me

I was wondering how farmers go about protecting acres of the things once they have sprouted up through the ridges...

I will panic less each time it feels chilly in the evening.

Thanks Shaun 

[FRUITFULL]

Shaun they look fantastic  iv run out of earth on my tiny patch so they are up and running now.