[hushda24]

Well i think it is 

This is 1st year i earthed up all bins so i can get max yeild.

Well so far with 3 bins harvested,I have top half of bin empty and then a load of spuds.
And bottom empty as expected.

So whats the point in earthing up if the spuds dont grow up ?
Looks like my hubby is correct 

[SG6]

I find the same, the crop grows down at the bottom amongst the roots, nothing is up the stem and I find there never is.

[Maxine Groobey]

 Usually earth up but this year spuds are planted under polythene so there's no earthing up happening there. However as some of out other plot holders say (and they are right) spud come up every year after you've planted them from the year before without any earthing up and of course nature doesn't earth up! Juries out. Wat do others think?

[Kirpi]

I placed my seed potatoes under about six inched of compost and straw just on top of the soil and "earthed up" by placing more compost and straw as the halms showed through.

When it came to harvesting all the potatoes were at soil level where the seed potato was and no potatoes up in the upper levels of compost and straw, so was there any point putting extra straw on, apart from blocking out light to the crop?

The potatoes were not as soil free as I had thought they would be either as they were in the top level of soil, not in the straw bed where I had hoped they would be.

[arugula]

So whats the point in earthing up if the spuds dont grow up ?

Are sure it isn't your container growing process or growing medium that is at fault? Having grown potatoes in containers and in the ground, I wouldn't elect containers as a first choice. Even grown in containers you can keep topping the soil up - it works.

[Ivor Backache]

Earthing up is usually to prevent any potatoes from going green with exposure to the air.
I gow mine in trenches and grow them deep (6") so that earthing is usual a drawing up of the soil to the plant.
Growing potatoes in deep bags has never been successful for me. Very heavy to move when they are full.  I did read that potato stolens only grow from primary stems ie those from the seed and not from secondary stems ie those that branch off. Those adverts with potatoes all the way up the bag are for dreams.
I grow earlies in containers... Supermarket cut flower pots. Good crop every time.

[hushda24]

So whats the point in earthing up if the spuds dont grow up ?

Are sure it isn't your container growing process or growing medium that is at fault? Having grown potatoes in containers and in the ground, I wouldn't elect containers as a first choice. Even grown in containers you can keep topping the soil up - it works.

Too be honest i aint a clue.
All i know is it aint worked for me earthing up.Looks like others its the same outcome.
I will not earth up next year,Too much hard work for nothing 

[Kirpi]

Just earth up enough to block out light to the tubers, or mulch enough to block out the light.

[grinling]

Different potatoes will grow different amounts and due to this years weather the palnts are taking a bit longer. Had your potatoes flowered or died back?
You can plant under black matting to stop earthing up, so the potatoes don't go green.
I plant main crop deep, earth up a bit and then use grass cuttings.

[surbie100]

I've got the same thing with my balcony potatoes (Swift) - all the potatoes seem to be at the bottom. But on the plot the charlotte potatoes are showing spuds right to the top of the earthed up ridges.

And being new, my earthing up was substantial! 

[Kirpi]

Do you have problems with slugs under black polythene? I have thought about this method but I imagine I would have more slug eaten spuds than anything else.

[BabbyAnn]

Do you have problems with slugs under black polythene? I have thought about this method but I imagine I would have more slug eaten spuds than anything else.

yes, the risk is prety high.  You can put slug pellets under the cover which may help.  The other problem using covers are the other tenants that move in and take residence - ants. Evil little biters when the nests are disturbed but they did seem to help keep some of the slugs at bay 

[Sean.]

I don't earth them up. I just plant them in a deep trench to start with. Though I'm generally not doing what I should !

[hushda24]

I've got the same thing with my balcony potatoes (Swift) - all the potatoes seem to be at the bottom. But on the plot the charlotte potatoes are showing spuds right to the top of the earthed up ridges.

And being new, my earthing up was substantial! 

I like it 

[Goosegirl]

I have raised beds and earthing up is a problem if you grow 2 rows down the length as there isn't enough space either side to earth up without unearthing the sides of the plants - if you know what I mean. I could always try doing 1 row and earthing up like surbie if it means I get more pots from fewer plants - maybe that's what farmers do it like? It means that I could always have a furtle at the bottom of the ridge, harvest the bigger pots, then leave the plants in situ to carry on growing the very small pots that are left and get a second harvest for less effort?