[savbo]

Hi all

with 6" of snow I'm busying myself with forward planning

On our new plot we're going to have more room for spuds this year. I'm planning on planting just 1st and 2nd earlies cos of the amount of blight on the site. Our deep bed runs north-south, is 4'/1.2m wide and about 8m long (with a wee path halfway along)...

I've read that earlies should be about 40-50cm between rows and that rows running N-S are better from a  light point of view - so should I run the rows N-S and only get 2 rows in, or run them E-W which I think will allow me to get a lot more in?

M

[DD.]

If the spuds are not in shade I don't think it'll make an iota of difference. Mine run E-W, it just the way the plot's sited.

[Salmo]

Assuming that you put the seed potatoes at 30 cm spacing along the rows the east west rows will only have 4 plants. Two of these would be end plants which are always difficult to keep earthed up.

Plant 2 rows north to south. 60 cm wide rows are easier to earth up anyway. With wider rows you can reduce the seed spacing slightly.

If you are planting more than one variety they will be easier to manage if you plant in double row blocks. It will also mean that you can start lifting at one end and release space for the next crop e.g.leeks

[savbo]

doh! quite right Salmo, in fact it would probably only be 3 E-W cos I couldn't plant them to the edge of the bed so they'd be at 30/60/90 - so exactly the same either way - 6 plants per 90cm of bed...

North-south it is

cheers peeps