[ConfusedGardener]

Hi all.

I have not earthed up my spuds, and they are just breaking the soil now. It looks like the threat of frosts has passed. Should I bother earthing them up?

[Kleftiwallah]

I believe...that the spuds grow from the stem above the seed potato, so earthing up increases this distance and more spuds have a stem from which to grow.  However, don't earth up and cover all the plant, it needs sun on the leaves to grow.  So earth up but leave the leaves  showing.  Cheers,   Tony.

[Aidy]

there is always a risk of frost, check your local frost dates here.. https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/adjust-dates-england-b-alt.php
Just scroll down to the map of Britain.
Now what I do is personal to me, I will let them grow to about 6 inches then earth up unless there is a threat of frost then I will earth up to be safe.
Hope that helps.

[jaydig]

Mine are through, but this year I'm only earthing up one row of spuds and I'm not bothering to do the other unless there is a risk of frost.  I just want to see if it really does make a difference.  Needless to say both rows are adjacent to each other in the same bed, and are the same variety.

[DD.]

Mine are through, but this year I'm only earthing up one row of spuds and I'm not bothering to do the other unless there is a risk of frost.  I just want to see if it really does make a difference.  Needless to say both rows are adjacent to each other in the same bed, and are the same variety.

If you don't earth up, expect a lot of your spuds to be green!

[ConfusedGardener]

Thank you all for the replies.

I guess I will earth up then, since I don't like green spuds!  I knew there was something I was missing, but could not think what, even though this will be 6th year in a row I've grown spuds!

I'm not convinced they would yield any better either way, but my guess is that earthed up plants would produce more numerous/smaller tubers than non-earthed up.

I realise that while there is always a chance of frost, at least for the moment, that chance is receding. I will be ready with earth/fleece however, should the prospect of a late frost raise it's ugly head!

[DD.]

Earthing up protects newly emerging foliage from frost damage. It also protects the developing potatoes from light that turns potato tubers green. Green potatoes are poisonous.