[pistonbroke]

While looking through one of the catalogues today, I came across an advertisement for "Potato Fertiliser" and started wandering how many people use it, and is it up to much?   

[garddwr]

Hi
Thanks for asking this as it is a good question that I am interested in.

I have been speaking to a local potato grower that grows quite a bit of spuds and he says to put manure and fertilizer that I can get at the local agriculture place.

So I probably will use manure and fertilizer for the best results but I would like to hear what you do ?

Manure ? Fertilizer on its own ? Nothing  ?

[MoreWhisky]

Im somebody else intrested in this question, as im preparing my spud beds now as no doubt are many of us.

Ive got a big tub of bone,fish blood stuff and was also going to put some of my excellent compost on it. No sure if this correct so was going to ask.

So any expert potatoe growers out there please help this thread please 

[garddwr]

I was going to sprinkle some fertilizer at the bottom of the trench rather than put it on now and I don't think it'll make much difference.

[Iain@JBA]

Good products are Vitax Q4 which I would sprinkle onto the bottom of the potato trench and fork into the soil.
It is quite powerful stuff.
There are also lots of organic mixes which are half the strength and are slow release pellets. They could be added to bottom of trench and forked in and some added to a layer of soil on top of spuds.
No fertilizer should touch the spuds directly.
Potatoes do not need high nitrogen it is the phosphates that they require and that is why manure is good for the job.

[Bombers]

Hi Iain. Would you put well rotted manure in the trench (Scab?) or just on top?

[Iain@JBA]

I would work the manure in at the back end of the year but since you need to do it now I think you would have to work it hard into the bottom of the trench. A small layer of soil just on top just to be safe. Scab is a strange thing to predict.

[garddwr]

So just to confirm Iain:

I would:

1)open the trench
2)sprinkle the vitax q4 or similar in and fork in well
3)put manure in the bottom
4)bit of soil on top of the manure and fertilizer
5)potatoes in
6)close trench
7)eat !!

thanks

[SkipRat]

When planting pots I just simply throw a bit of comfry in the trench seems to work quite well.

[Bombers]

Don't forget 6(a) Garddwr,........
Earthing  up!    

[garddwr]

oh yes thank you bombers forgot about that 

Now waiting for Iain's approval lol 

[Iain@JBA]

So just to confirm Iain:

I would:

1)open the trench
2)sprinkle the vitax q4 or similar in and fork in well
3)put manure in the bottom
4)bit of soil on top of the manure and fertilizer
5)potatoes in
6)close trench
7)eat !!

thanks

Sounds about right. Just don't go mad with the fertilizer. I plan to make videos of all this very soon so people can laugh at my spade work

[garddwr]

no one will laugh Iain, and I'm sure it will be very useful, remind us when its on please !

[Bombers]

Thanks for that. Just out of interest, (as an expert), what varieties are you growing for yourself this year?

[garddwr]

Yes that would be interesting, Iain's favourites I guess

I'm growing

Earlies-
            Home Guard
            Sharpes Express
            Rocket

Maincrop: A lot of SARPO MIRA