[mctoon]

Quick question,

 I have heavy clay soil so im not going to bother to dig over or earth up as its blooming hard work.  Plan is to use a auger post hole drill to bore a hole into the ground and drop in a spud.  How deep do you reckon the hole should be as like i said im not going to earth up later.

Cheers Mal
 

[snow white]

If you are not going to dig the soil, when it comes time to dig them up you will be digging concrete! If I was you I would place them just a scant 2 inches under the soil then cover with straw or compost so that they grow up into it.  Straw is cheaper. 

[ptarmigan]

I understand your pain on this one.  I sort of solved it by digging a v shallow trench and then heaping up with compost, seaweed and other mulching type stuff (couldn't get hold of straw).  This had the added benefit of improving the soil no end for a different crop after the potatoes. 

[mumofstig]

When I had a clay allotment, I didn't dig the whole potato bed, but found digging a planting trench was worthwhile.

Put fertilizer or manure at the bottom of the trench, place seed potato, and cover with soil. Simple and the swelling potatoes don't have to struggle with compacted clay. If any potatoes were beginning to show on the surface I covered them with grass cuttings or cardboard, so they didn't go green.

[Aled]

I did what ptarmigan and mumofstig did worked quite well, needed to be a bit more patient than some of my friends before harvesting.
Good to see another Dropkick Murphy's fan on here.
Cheers
Aled

[moose]

Done the same as mumofstig. I used an azada for digging the trench-made it so easy. Good for earthing up as well. I had the medium one from here:- http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm

[AnneB]

Done the same as mumofstig. I used an azada for digging the trench-made it so easy. Good for earthing up as well. I had the medium one from here:- http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm

I am another cutting a trench in clay soil with an azada fan.   I too have a medium one from get digging and it's my favourite gardening tool.  I got a really good crop of spuds in my first year, despite the clay.   The soil is now improved a lot, but I still use my azada.

[mctoon]

Good advice folks, many thanks, never thought of a azada so i think ill give that ago, i reckon one of those babies will sort my clay soil!!

Off Topic-- Indeed Aled DKMs are a awesome band, hoping there 20th anniversary tour come to the UK

[Aled]

An azada, now that's an idea!
Nice one mctoon.
Cheers
Aled

[Thrutchington]

I marked out a bed and dug it roughly in early winter, let the frost have a go at it, then a load of well rotted manure forked in, bit of bonemeal or similar. It was a bit of work but got some good crops of Desiree.

[Goosegirl]

When you dig your trench, put the compost or whatever in then wiggle your fork into the bottom to help with drainage so you don't get a sump effect.