[jonewer]

Hi all, I have had my rocket first earlies in the ground for a couple of weeks now. I think I can see the first green shoots coming through but dont know what to look for... can anyone point me to a photo of what young shoots look like?

A bit worried they might be nettles or brambles or some other weed but dont want to destroy me taters!

PS - Theres glass in the ground. Not a problem proided gloves are worn but is there any danger of a shard ending up inside a root veg?

[richyrich7]

lol  better if you could post one  I'm sure we cab help, either that or leave them for longer and see

[Salmo]

Gently scrape away the soil around the shoot. If you eventually come to a seed potato it is a potato.

If the potatoes are showing then pull some soil over them to protect them from frost. Keep earthing them up completely for a couple of weeks. By then they should be growing strongly and you should continue to earth up but leave the top leaves showing. Eventually you will run out of soil and they will be growing too strongly to cover. After that you may need to cover with fleece if frost is forecast.

I very much doubt if glass will get into the potatoes.

[DD.]

I think Salmo is gently saying that you've planted them a little early. We had frosts at the end of May last year, so there's still 8 weeks that you need to keep a sharp look out.

[jonewer]

Gently scrape away the soil around the shoot. If you eventually come to a seed potato it is a potato.

If the potatoes are showing then pull some soil over them to protect them from frost. Keep earthing them up completely for a couple of weeks. By then they should be growing strongly and you should continue to earth up but leave the top leaves showing. Eventually you will run out of soil and they will be growing too strongly to cover. After that you may need to cover with fleece if frost is forecast.

I very much doubt if glass will get into the potatoes.

Thanks, didnt think the glass would be a problem but better safe....

I reckon the frost down here is pretty much kaput anyway, but I mulched over the shoots just to be sure. Actually thinking about, there was a group of 3 shoots close together wich pretty well rules out brambles and the stalks whee too thick to be nettles.

I really am pretty chuffed that my stuff is growing! was beginning to get worried!

[DD.]

Don't get over-confident about the frost. See my previous post.

[jonewer]

Don't get over-confident about the frost. See my previous post.

Yes, but you're a northerner! 

[titch]

i am far down south and wont be at all surprised if we still get frosts yet.............
shall be leaving mine for a wee bit, then getting them a nice fleece blanky for the cold nights 

[peapod]

Frost can kick your beehind at any time over the next two months no matter where you are! So...to be simple...earth up till you cant earth up no more. Its better than losing a crop to frost

[richyrich7]

Frost can kick your beehind at any time over the next two months no matter where you are! So...to be simple...earth up till you cant earth up no more. Its better than losing a crop to frost

Yep can't agree more, I've got my 1st earlies in last week but they are under a 4" mulch of leaves and compost so they will be ok for now 

[senrab_nhoj]

Don't get over-confident about the frost. See my previous post.

Yes, but you're a northerner! 

we had a frost in June down this way last year

[cawdor2001]

putting all mine in, earlies and maincrops (5 vars) this coming weekend, assuming weather ok.  Just watch for them coming up and ridge up, ie cover with soil to protect from frost.  Normally they will not emerge for 3-5 weeks depending on planting depth, chitting or not.


cawdor

[Trebor]

They look like fat nettles at first. I can see the sprouts on mine and know they are the spuds because I planted in rows out of which about 6 of them are up. If you have planted in a pattern (and cleared the weeds first!) it should soon be pretty obvious what is coming up.

I put my spuds in at the beginning of March – according to one of the old boys here I was actually late, but I am in Kent. We have had a few frosts in the last weeks, but I just pile the soil over them and they keep on growing. (They took about 4 weeks to show through.) I am pretty much putting some of everything I can in now and if it gets killed off then I will just plant again later on. It is my first year so maybe I will change the plan, but at the moment the reward from an early crop outweighs the risk of frost.

Glass in the soil sounds bad – have you tried riddling the soil or taking some out to clear the patch?

[DD.]

Plan to start planting mine tomorrow.

A bit later than last year as the frost got 'em!

[peapod]

Mine went in today
Glad thats over!