Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: goodegg on February 13, 2010, 10:30

Title: i wish
Post by: goodegg on February 13, 2010, 10:30

i wish people would stop saying potatoes break up the soil they dont its the digging to plant them and dig them that breaks up the soil .thats my moan over thank you :mad: :D

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: Salmo on February 13, 2010, 10:50

Well whinged!!! You are dead right.

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: DD. on February 13, 2010, 10:51

Don't forget the hilling up as well!

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: Lardman on February 13, 2010, 12:58

Quote from: DD. on February 13, 2010, 10:51

Don't forget the hilling up as well!

.... and the inevitable search for the last spud you know its somewhere down the 2ft hole you've just dug to harvest them.

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: JayG on February 13, 2010, 13:10

I note DD's being "size-ist" again (most of us settle for a modest bit of "earthing" up!)  ::)

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: mumofstig on February 13, 2010, 13:32

It depends where you garden, as to what you call it!
'Mounding up' round these parts :tongue2:

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: moonosbailey on February 13, 2010, 15:03

never heard that advice before. It certainly wasn't the case with ours! Clay is clay no matter how many potatoes you cram in!

Title: Re: i wish
Post by: JayG on February 13, 2010, 15:15

Quote from: moonosbailey on February 13, 2010, 15:03

never heard that advice before. It certainly wasn't the case with ours! Clay is clay no matter how many potatoes you cram in!

That is also true.

Newly prepared ground that was previously predominantly grass is also risky for spuds due to the likely presence of wireworm, which can be a serious pest for potatoes.

One possible benefit could be the quite extensive leaf canopy produced by spuds which (along with the earthing up) tends to supress weed growth. Doesn't actually remove the weeds though!  :wacko: