Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Jim T on April 20, 2007, 20:04
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My earlies are nice healthy looking and about fist size.
My next door plotter said I should have earthed them up as soon as they showed through.
I asked how could they use the sun's energy if I covered the greenery as soon as it appeared?
He said if there was a sudden frost they would be killed.
I thought the earthing up was to cover the tubers when they broke though, so that they woudn't go green.
Can anyone help my confusion :?: :?
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Cover up the foliage.
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It`s both Jim,at this time of year no tubers so earth up foliage to protect from frost,it seems to go against the grain but works and the foliage will soon poke through again and no foliage ie frost damaged=fewer/no potatoes.Later when the tubers are forming is when you need to protect from the light.
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i went up yesterday and covered my earlies up. bit gutted really because they look so healthily green. i had planted the 4 rows too close together and had ran out of earth to rake up so i had to barrow and bucket till the job was done.
live and learn :lol: :lol:
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Is the risk of frost attacking the Hallums the only reason for earthing up out of interest cos mine seem to be growing in their compost bag/pots at about 2-three inches a day and I'm running out of compost for them. Yeah I know go buy some more compost :lol:
See I would be prepared to take the risk living so near the sea couple of hundred yards and on south coast.
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I asked a similar question earlier in the week, if you look for my thread 'potatoes'. I think the consensus is cover them up as soon as they appear and the foliage will grow through. Seems strange but I think this process causes more tubers to form through encouraging growth. I covered mine up with 'soil improver' from the local tip. I thought I could then dig it into the plot onec the earlies have all gone! Regards all, DB :D
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growing amazingly quick these here. I earthed them over and next day they had broken through again a good couple of inches. surely they dont grow that quick! :lol:
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I was thinking the same, my potatoes seem to be breaking through every other day and I won't have enough earth as I am quite tight for space in the home garden. I have today added a bit of straw then piled some earth on top that should still work right??
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this is why you must give rows of spuds 2' between the rows,theres nowt worse than trying to scratch around like a chicken looking for some soil to earth up with :wink:
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I agree. I'd give maincrop even more
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I'm growing my spuds under black plastic this year (yes, I know about the increased slug risk, will be pouring nematodes through the holes with a funnel tomorrow!) - is it still worth covering the foliage with compost or anything? Or just do nothing until harvest time?
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I'm growing my spuds under black plastic this year ... ... Or just do nothing until harvest time?
just do nothing until harvest time
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I'm growing my spuds under black plastic this year (yes, I know about the increased slug risk, will be pouring nematodes through the holes with a funnel tomorrow!) - is it still worth covering the foliage with compost or anything? Or just do nothing until harvest time?
NEMATODES :idea: :idea: I was thinking about using nematodes around the cabbages to stop the slugs. Is it a good idea to use for spuds as well?
They could not give me an answer on when to apply them and they said You had to use them within 2 weeks of receiving them through the post :? Can anyone explain or is it just another way for them to get your money?
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Well, they are expensive jim but I used them last year to reasonable effect (started after the slugs had begun to feast) This year I am starting early and redoing it every six weeks or so, though that is probably a little excessive given the dry weather! Most of my spuds last year had some slug damage, as I like to eat my spuds intact I am blasting them with nematodes this year in hope of slug free spuds.
Really chuffed today, my early spuds are poking through as are my second lot of peas. In fact the only seeds that haven't done anything are the spring onions but even those I think might be growing now, but it might be grass, time will tell!
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NEMATODES :idea: :idea: I was thinking about using nematodes around the cabbages to stop the slugs. Is it a good idea to use for spuds as well?
They could not give me an answer on when to apply them and they said You had to use them within 2 weeks of receiving them through the post :? Can anyone explain or is it just another way for them to get your money?
Personally, I'm using them wherever I don't want slugs - ie everywhere. It's best to apply them to damp soil, so water first if it's still dry. As long as the soil temp is above 5C, there should be no problem. They like to be in the soil eating slugs rather than in the fridge eating each other, so obviously they'll be much more effective if you don't leave them sitting around for too long. Having said that, I forgot about mine last year, and they sat in the fridge for well over a month before I found them again! Still worked OK, maybe they would have been even better had I used them immediately :?
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I was looking at mine today and thought I had been over generous with the spacing between rows. Can you grow anything in between or will be it be too shaded :?:
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Broad beans
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I was looking at mine today and thought I had been over generous with the spacing between rows. Can you grow anything in between or will be it be too shaded :?:
Early or maincrop? What spacing have you used?
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... have been asked and not answered. Why earth up your spuds? Because it will stop tubers near the surface from going green through exposure to light, it helps with weed control and it helps combat blight. But you should only really earth up a couple of times, when they're about six inches high and leave an inch or maybe two of leaf showing through, then do it again when they're about six inches high ... then leave em be, and if you've got the spacing right the leaves of the plants will then form a dense forest which will protect the little tubers from light too!
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I was looking at mine today and thought I had been over generous with the spacing between rows. Can you grow anything in between or will be it be too shaded :?:
Early or maincrop? What spacing have you used?
Earlies planted in March and about 60cm.
Anyhting that grows higher than the taties is obvious to all but me :roll: . many thanks
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I'd agree with noshed on the broad beans - a single row - also leek and taller brassica (sprouts, kale, broccoli) transplants. You might also want to try lettuce with a view to having the area completely clear and available once you lift your spuds.
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What are nematodes :?:
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What are nematodes :?:
A natural enemy of slugs / snails : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematoda