[vikingraider]

I planted my maincrop potatoes a few weeks ago, and just about all have poked through the soil. However, out of my four rows of spuds, every potato on the end of the row hasnt come through. Is this bad luck or something I'm missing?

[New shoot]

That’s an odd coincidence.  Has the next door plot used weed killer recently? 

[vikingraider]

Not that I'm aware. And it's at each end of every row. I have 4 rows so 8 chitted potatoes haven't come up. Strange

[New shoot]

It is strange and I can’t think why that would happen to be honest. 

[Alank]

I would dig up the end of one of the rows and have a look.

[Blewit]

Were the missing spuds next to a path (slabs, wooden edges etc.). If so it could be slugs attacking the ones closest.

[Aunt Sally]

I would dig up the end of one of the rows and have a look.

Good idea !

[vikingraider]

I'll investigate over the weekend. I though maybe i planted the ends a bit deeper but the centre ones are over 6in about the soil now

[Aunt Sally]

I’d be interested to know what the land is like at the ends of your potato rows.  There might be something inhibiting them.

[vikingraider]

Tatties are in the background

[coldandwindy]

1)Looking at that picture I'd say the ones that are showing are biggest in the middle & getting gradually smaller towards the edges. If I have seen that correctly, is the middle wetter/warmer/not as solid/etc?

2)Do you have voles? One year we had quite a few different things missing at the edges of beds. A neighbour said they had more voles than usual so we put some live catch traps out & , yes, voles it was. Don't know why but they started their munching at the edges!

[mumofstig]

Don't know why but they started their munching at the edges!

They probably have permanent tunnels under pathways which get left undisturbed by the gardener...

[vikingraider]

Not heard any reports of voles

[Aunt Sally]

I’d have a bit of a dig to see if the tubers are still there.

[pdblake]

You sure you put those spuds in at the ends?

One year I dug out the trenches for six rows, fertilised them, planted them, covered them over and ridged them up in to six neat rows. Then I found a seed tray with twenty seeds spuds in, and had to spend the next hour furtling around to see which row I'd forgot to put the flipping spuds in