[woodsmoke]

I am new here and posted a message before but think I did something wrong so trying again.  I have had an allotment about three years and lots to learn so - how do I get lots of little spuds instead of a few very big ones?  Is it planting techniques or only variety?  What if I don't earth up?
Grateful for help.  Working on chalky ground in East Kent
Woodsmoke

[WG.]

What variety are you growing please WS?

I can confirm that this was your first post so dunno what went wrong first time.  Welcome to the forum BTW.

[richyrich7]

Hi woodsmoke welcome to the forums  

Like Whisky says what variety have you been growing ? Main crop tend to give heavier crops, earlies will give large spuds if left in to grow on.

Have you been manuring/feeding the plot ?

[WG.]

Main crop tend to give heavier crops, earlies will give large spuds if left in to grow on.

Have you been manuring/feeding the plot ?

Yeah but WS wants little 'uns!

[richyrich7]

Yep but if they have been leaving earlies in 2 long = big spuds

[woodsmoke]

They were International Kidney which I began digging end July.  They are a second early.  So is that my problem?  Leaving them in too long?  The ground was not manured - I planted them with semi rotted compost to try and retain moisture!  But if I had dug earlier I would have had smaller spuds but not many I presume?
Woodsmoke

[WG.]

You don't say where you are or when you planted them but you may want to try the following next year.

1. plant a little closer together in the drill
2. form drills a little closer together but still leave room to earth up
3. lift when foliage starts to go yellow at the bottom - this should be after flowering.  No point lifting too early since immature tatties can be hard and off-flavour

Otherwise treat exactly as you've been doing

[muntjac]

heavy manure the ground .dig trenches 6 inch deep 12 inch wide place taties as wg says close together 6 inch is good . back fill the soil forming a mound as you go dont worry about the mounding up as the foliage grows as they will be fine ,water well all through the growing time .and again as wg says harvest when the foliage turns yellow . the mounding up of foiliage isnt done on farms they just mound up at planting .werks fer me