[shaun_darbs]

hi all,

dug over the spud bed this morning, the frost has done it the world of good. nice and crumbly soil.

just wondering when i could get the spuds in. whats the ideal temp for them?

shaun

[Welsh Merf]

I don't know about others, but I won't be putting my spuds in the ground until late March/early April. They're chitting now, but I'll wait for warmer weather rather than risk it - there's no rush!

[JayG]

Traditional planting date1: St Patrick's Day (17th March - bit early round here.)

Traditional planting date2: Easter Weekend (bit silly, it moves every year.)

Theoretical minimum soil temperature at which growth will occur (slowly!): around 6C

My usual planting date: End of March.

This year's planting date: I'll still be hoping to get them in by the end of the month but the soil temperature is currently only 2C so things need to improve considerably temperature-wise - if they don't I will delay further until they have.

[shaun_darbs]

cheers mate, its just so tempting. everything is ready to go but the weather  

[fatbelly]

All my Spuds will go in on Good Friday (29th March).

I usually put them in between 17th & 30th March, depending on the weather.

This year has been a cold March so I am hanging back by 7 - 10 days.

[Kirpi]

All potatoes are planted under about a foot layer of lasagne compost and straw down here in Cornwall. Things are just starting to warm up here.

[surbie100]

Am thinking 1st weekend after Easter, if, and only if, it warms up and dries out. I lost half to waterlogged soil last year.

[Mother-Hen]

All potatoes are planted under about a foot layer of lasagne compost and straw down here in Cornwall. Things are just starting to warm up here.

I don't know what part of Cornwall you in but it's still blooming cold here, spud won't go in until end of March.


Unless your commercial growing then yes all spuds are in and under fleece or plastic......

[Ema]

I've been a little concerned about all this cold weather we've had I had planned to get them in this weeken but I've taken the 25th off work and hope to do it then instead fingers crossed we don't get any more frost

[fatbelly]

Just to add to what I posted, I said that mine wont go in until Good Friday.

Well I was down the plot today and an old timer who is considered by many on our site to have the best plot was putting his Spuds in today. He told me that he has put his Spuds in on Paddy's Day for the past 12 years and has never had a problem.

[allot2learn]

I checked my soil temp today, and at 3" below the surface it was +5 C.

My spuds are still staying in the cold greenhouse until the end of the month. For the sake of two weeks, I don't think that it's worth the risk. Each to his, or her own. 

[mumofstig]

Britain on course for coldest March in 17 years
Looking beyond next week, conditions are expected to remain unsettled with below average temperatures."
The cold is set to remain at least until April 10

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/9926437/Britain-on-course-for-coldest-March-in-17-years.html

He may be lucky, but I'm not chancing mine

[Ivor Backache]

Planting in the ground....No. Much too cold.
But do plant some earlies in pots and keep indoors, especially at night. I have some nice plants already.

[DD.]

Mine are quite happy sitting there chitting. They will be quite happy for another month or more if needs be.

[shed head]

A month !!!!!!!!!