Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rowlandwells on March 05, 2018, 17:17
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I've been nursing my seed spuds for several weeks now there stacked up in trays in our conservatory with little heat so the other day when our central heating went of I was really concerned if the potatoes would get frosted as the temp dropped very low the fish pond had an inch deep in ice and one of the pumps froze up I've never know that happen before
but luckily we managed to get the central heating going and there doesn't seem to be any frost damage the chits are alright the potatoes have about a quarter of an inch of dark green chits so I'm hoping there not going to chit to fast if the weather starts to warm up because the potato bed is to wet to cultivate and planting is not going to be several weeks yet unless the ground dries out
so fingers crossed ;)
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Just dug and mucked my spud bed but I dont put mine in till 2nd weekend of April, I found out one year that the later sowing (April) caught up to the row I sowed in March (17th) so I never rush now.
I am sure they will be fine.
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I'm sure your rite Aidy i.ve been told the same by other'# gardeners don't get to exited about planting your spuds there's plenty of time and yes they will catch up
as I said the ground does need to dry out some before any potato planting anyway thaks for that Aidy
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Unfortunately it's not just about late sown crops catching up at the end of the season by the time of the full term harvest date. If only it were.
In this neck of the woods, blight comes calling probably 3 out of 5 years, maybe every 4 years.
Early planting, prepared correctly, CAN get your potatoes, particularly main crop varieties, to a good old size before the blight inevitably hits. For a few years, I didn't plant main crops due to blight ruining any chance of a half decent harvest in the past. I've now found with earlier planting, that extra month in the ground early on, with a little effort, makes all the difference. I can get a decent maincrop harvest every year by planting round and about the 15 March. Precautions are in place for any late frosts of course, but hilling up usually takes care of that.
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i have been growing spud's for well over 40 years as soon as they come into the shop's I put them in tray's and store in the greenhouse until the weather warm's up I never but mine out until the 1st or 2nd week in april in individual hole's 6 inch deep and covered with a good layer or manure or compost and then watch them grow. ;)
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we usually end up planting nr cup final day I pull a channel out with a tool I made for the rotavator spread some fertilizer up the row before dropping the potatoes in the drill but I'm thinking of going a bit beeper by using a dibber although it is a tad quicker with the rotavator tool but I still have to cover the row by hand
its usually a two day job planting the first early spuds second and then main which is the bulk of the planting then I go up the rows before ridging with the rotavtor to get fine soil and that's all done until harvest
fingers crossed no blight :(
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You say you cover them with a layer of manure or compost.
I plant them in individual holes as well. Could I cover them with dried manure? Is your manure in direct contact with the plant or do you mix it with a bit of soil? If I were to fill the hole with dried manure would that burn the plant?
Anton
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Anton, sorry I missed this - I'd put some soil between the manure and the spuds.
Digging a little bit today and found volunteer spuds with shoots nearly to the surface :) so as soon as we get a non-windy dry day, I will be planting my spuds. Spring has arrived whether it feels like it or not :D
I can always cover them if any bad weather returns ::)
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My spuds are still chitting in the shed. The ground is still so wet, another couple of weeks won't do any harm.
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Planted my earlies today as had a bed already dug over ready for them. Covered with straw and rabbit poo.
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Thanks for the advice, Lesley.
Anton