soil temperature

Grubbypaws · « **on:** February 28, 2013, 13:30 »

My spuds have got to go in this week regardless as I am going away. It is a beautiful day today and I have got everything ready. All the containers have their 8" of compost and the rest of the compost has been mixed with Potato fertilizer ready to fill BUT the soil temperature is only 2/3C.

Should go for it or is it madness

Salmo · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2013, 15:58 »

However long do you plan to be away?

Better to wait. Leave the potatoes chitting until you return. It will not matter if they are not planted for a while. Late April/ early May is not too late

Grubbypaws · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2013, 17:02 »

Not back til June so it i now or no spuds!

The Hairy Pumpkins · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2013, 17:38 »

In your situation I would tend to hedge my bet 50/50 (plant half and leave the other half chitting)

normally, if frost or low night time temps have nipped the foliage, the plant will survive, as long as the tuber is planted deep enough to of not got nipped itself.

Its a tough call though, do you know anyone that would help out in exchange for a few fresh spuds, and ask them to plant em for you in 3 weeks?

Grubbypaws · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2013, 07:40 »

I have planted the potatos in 50l bags on 8" soil and then filled the bags. Keep your fingers crossed for me; I cant imagine a year without my own tatties.

Gandan57 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2013, 20:39 »

Just think of any potatoes that have been missed at harvest and have been in the ground all winter. When the soil warms up they start growing, so your spuds will be perfectly fine.

I plan to plant some of mine on Sunday as the ground conditions are good and I have a day off.

If you are not going to be able to tend the plants until June you are going to come back to a bit of a mess. The foliage is bound to get frosted a number of times and the weeds are going to have a field day.

Grubbypaws · « **Reply #6 on:** March 02, 2013, 08:03 »

Hi Gandan57,

Thanks for the encouragement. My whole garden will be a bit of a mess; It is hard to leave it but I have a fantastic offer of travel.

The potatoes are in containers and I have followed an advised technique of planting them and filling the container to the top rather than earthing up. With any luck the shoots will reach the top after the last frost. I have mulched the top of the containers to stop weeds and laid out some blue pellets of death. It is a case of giving it a go as best I can

Gandan57 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 02, 2013, 14:07 »

The fact that you stated you were growing your spuds in containers, completely went over the top of my head. Doh!

Grubbypaws · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2013, 16:34 »

Gandan57 you were right

I have just returned today and all my containers have potatoes growing in them!!!!

I cant believe it as I thought the UK had had some bad weather in the last 3 months. (You must have as my pine tree has lost a large section at the top; snow, gales or both?)

I will not be without my beautiful spuds

although it is going to be hard work getting the rest of the garden in shape again.

Soil temperature Started by noshed on Grow Your Own	12 Replies 3539 Views	March 16, 2010, 19:26 by realfood
soil temperature Started by noshed on Grow Your Own	6 Replies 2643 Views	March 19, 2007, 14:03 by Salkeela
Soil temperature Started by noshed on Grow Your Own	3 Replies 1890 Views	March 30, 2009, 20:05 by Jay Dubya
Soil temperature Started by noshed on Grow Your Own	5 Replies 2432 Views	February 08, 2010, 15:58 by arugula

soil temperature

Grubbypaws

soil temperature

Salmo

Re: soil temperature

Grubbypaws

Re: soil temperature

The Hairy Pumpkins

Re: soil temperature

Grubbypaws

Re: soil temperature

Gandan57

Re: soil temperature

Grubbypaws

Re: soil temperature

Gandan57

Re: soil temperature

Grubbypaws

Re: soil temperature

Similar Topics

Soil temperature

soil temperature

Soil temperature

Soil temperature