Charlotte potatoes...

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GillyHen

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Charlotte potatoes...
« on: April 10, 2009, 13:19 »
Do seed potatoes need to be hardened off before planting? And if I planted some Charlottes now, would it be sufficient to either cloche them or cover with a layer of fleece if any frost was expected..?

When I plant them, do I dig a foot deep trench, dump a good layer of horse muck in the bottom, put the potatoes on top, and cover the whole lot up..? The shoots then presumably make their way up to the surface..?

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DD.

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2009, 14:10 »
You'll only need to protect them if the shoots have shown & frost is expected.

The seed spuds need to be 3" below the surface, so the bottom of the spud needs to be 5" down on average. Unless you've a 7" layer of horse much, a 12" trench is probably a little too deep.
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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GillyHen

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2009, 14:23 »
Excellent, thanks for that :)

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GillyHen

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2009, 19:43 »
(I used comfrey leaves and a layer of growbag compost instead of horse muck in the end)

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DD.

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2009, 19:49 »
I'm sure they'll be fine.

Charlotte are a "must grow". Got 50 of them in this year. (That's a lot of salads!).

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Paul Plots

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2009, 20:03 »
I'm trying Charlotte for the first time this year - where the bean trench has been for years so plently of organic / compost material underneath.

Is Charlotte at all resistant to wire-worm?
Never keep your wish-bone where your back-bone ought to be.

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GillyHen

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2009, 22:38 »
I need to dig some up and re-home them actually - I got the measurements wrong and have buried them 10" apart  :ohmy:

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GillyHen

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2009, 23:51 »
What happens when the seed pots are packed too closely? Does the yield reduce in both size of, and number of, potatoes? In a trench four feet long would it be fair to say only two seed potatoes should go in there?

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DD.

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2009, 06:15 »
I think you'd lose out size wise.

I plant mine 15" apart. Three would take up 30" In a 4 foot trench this would lave 9" at each end, so you'd probably get away with it.

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Paul Plots

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2009, 11:23 »
What happens when the seed pots are packed too closely? Does the yield reduce in both size of, and number of, potatoes? In a trench four feet long would it be fair to say only two seed potatoes should go in there?

If you have the space then wider apart is better or if space is short 2 choices: fewer seed spuds or closer together and a reduced crop per plant.

Personally I could do with a couple of acres to plant everything I'd like to grow so my spuds are closer than perhaps they should be but crop was good last year...

I don't think potatoes are good with a ruler so they just get on with it and make the best of what space they have.  ;)

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Salmo

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2009, 11:43 »
I need to dig some up and re-home them actually - I got the measurements wrong and have buried them 10" apart  :ohmy:

I would leave them where they are. The yield per root may be less but the yield per yard run of row will probably be the same. If the potatoes are a little smaller does it matter if you are not peeling them. It may be an advantage.

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Paul Plots

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2009, 12:20 »
I need to dig some up and re-home them actually - I got the measurements wrong and have buried them 10" apart  :ohmy:

I would leave them where they are. The yield per root may be less but the yield per yard run of row will probably be the same. If the potatoes are a little smaller does it matter if you are not peeling them. It may be an advantage.

I agree - shame to dig the things up when they are beginning to get settled and work out which way up they are....

More (and smaller) will = fewer but bigger.......so leave them put.  ;)

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GillyHen

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2009, 12:39 »
Thanks chaps and chapettes,  I will leave them for this year but watch with interest how they do. This is after all my first year and a learning curve at that. The blurb on the box said 15cm apart..! In a trench 4' long I have put four of the wee things in. When it comes to earthing up I can always pinch earth from elsewhere instead of struggling to rake it up from around the plants.

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Paul Plots

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2009, 17:43 »
Sound fine to me GillyHen... as you say you learn as you go along and what works for one is not always the preferred method for aother.

I guess that's why the growing lark is addictive.... we're always trying to better our last efforts - when something goes well it's a thrill!  ;)

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Sharonx

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Re: Charlotte potatoes...
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2009, 09:07 »
You'll only need to protect them if the shoots have shown & frost is expected.

The seed spuds need to be 3" below the surface, so the bottom of the spud needs to be 5" down on average. Unless you've a 7" layer of horse much, a 12" trench is probably a little too deep.

I'm wondering if mine are a little too deep as I have already trenched them up as well. Will they be ok or should I knowck back some of the earth? How long til they start showing their shoots?



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