Top spud tip

Hi All

Went to a 'Talk' recently in Gosport held by our local group where a pro gardener + wife from W.Sussex gave advice on their experiences. His name I think was Peter something.

As a newbie, the tip that caught my attention was regards to planting spuds.

Rather than dig a trench to sow use a bulb planter. Add some chicken poo to each sowed spud & than cover the whole bed with straw. This saves earthing up which he never does, warms the soil & helps to keep most weeds at bay before the foilage touches.

Too wet this weekend to sow but will hopefully do so this coming Sunday after we've giving the Baggies a pasting. PUP!!
 

But when straw is wetted, it matts well and I've never found it blows away, even in super high winds.

He did say to make sure the straw is well matted so it won't blow away like mentioned above.

Just planted the last of my spuds today, used a spade to dig a trench when I had a perfectly good bulb planter lurking in my shed.  Just goes to show I should  check this forum before i do anything :roll:

I use the bulb planter for spuds and planting out small plants like my brassicas. It works wonderfully when the the soil is moist but I bent mine last year during a dry spell!

Have you got clay, 'cos I broke 3 forks in mine. One cynic a bit wonders, who is sponsoring them though there is always supposed to be something shockingly new.  

I like to try new things, but at the moment I'm happy not to buy straw and a bulb planter as well as manure and seed potatoes, once it works without.