[Kentishman2004]

Hi everyone, eventually managed to get the new lottie plot dug over and ready for planting but just a quick question on seed potatoes (first time growing them).  The other half picked up a couple of bags of seed potatoes from our local Wilko the other day, and the majority already have decent sized shoots growing on them now. So does that mean they are ok to plant without further chitting?

[shaun]

its more down to the time of year and weather conditions and where you are in the country than how much the spuds are chitted,if was dry here this weekend then i might have planted a few rows,but sods law it rained all yesterday and most of last night so they will have to wait.
what are the other folks doing on your plots ?have they started planted theres yet? thats the best way to go  

[crowndale]

Far too cold here to do anything much!  Am half way through digging the spud bed so might get half the spuds in by the end of march!  am busy starting most stuff off in seed trays!

[fatbelly]

I would imagine that in Kent it is reasonably safe to plant Seed Spuds now. However up here in Cheshire it feels like a proper January day today.

[shaun]

I would imagine that in Kent it is reasonably safe to plant Seed Spuds now. However up here in Cheshire it feels like a proper January day today.

it was warmer in january  :roll:

[Bigbadfrankie]

The old fellas would test the temperature of the ground for spuds by putting their bare bum on the ground. If it was uncomfortably cold to the bum its to cold for spuds. I would be careful at the Lottie doing this test though.      :oops:

[shaun]

The old fellas would test the temperature of the ground for spuds by putting their bar bum on the ground. If it was uncomfortably cold to the bum its to cold for spuds. I would be careful at the Lottie doing this test though.      :oops:

what about using your elbow like testing a babies bath, why the elbow anyhow ?

[Bigbadfrankie]

have you tried getting your bum in a baby bath Shaun :?

[shaun]

have you tried getting your bum in a baby bath Shaun :?

i have actually and it got stuck,but thats another story    

[Aunt Sally]

I'm not planting my spuds for a couple of weeks yet, it's still qiote cold.

I tried to put some poly cloches out today to warm some of the soil but I had to give up as they were turning into kites  :shock:

[wighty]

Went to the lottie today to get the rest of the leeks which are now soup.  I sank while digging them up so it is not only too cold but also in my case too wet.

[gobs]

have you tried getting your bum in a baby bath Shaun :?

i have actually and it got stuck,but thats another story    

Hence the elbow it doesn't get stuck.

BTW, most of my new pots are in and some early ain crops, too.

[cawdor2001]

They reckon the soil temp should be around 9 degrees to get spuds in.


Cawdor

[gobs]

They reckon the soil temp should be around 9 degrees to get spuds in.


Cawdor

They must be reckoning wrong.

You can plant potatoes any time, really, they are perennials, as long as they don't get frozen, now it's really hard to get that much frost in UK that soil would be frozen deep deep down, all the rest is just morning telly entertainment.

[cawdor2001]

Gobs, i meant commercial growers really.  

The reasoning is that they get away quickly and up and through to the surface, same reason as why they chit seed.  If you put potatoes in cold soil and they sit there a long time and are slow to get away and emerge then they are much more susceptible to diseases such as skin spot and stem canker which are both tuber and soil bourne diseases.  So yes you can plant in colder conditions but the warmer the better for a quick get away and 9 deg is reckoned to be around the threshold temp.


Cawdor