[hurting back]

Daughter and I have been planting out potatoes this afternoon. We mounded them up as we put them in as we had been told to do that.  But then other people told us not to.. SO are we right or are we wrong please

[DD.]

I think you mean mound.

I earth up as the plant grows.

My take on it is that if you put a big mound on top of the spud, it's going to take longer to shoot through and the plant needs the sunlight to make it's food.

Also with continual earthing up during the season, you're breaking up the soil & chopping up the weeds.

I know that this in not practical for commercial growers, but it negates the need for weedkillers etc..

It's also good exercise!

[hurting back]

Oh dear. We got it wrong then. thank you

[DD.]

I'm not saying it's wrong. It's just my take on it. It's the way commercial growers do it.

[FRUITFULL]

As we have such limited space,this year i have made gullies and planted in rows, about 8in below ground level my idea was to earth up by filling the hole then a little extra earthing up.Last year i never had space to earth up.I hope thats ok to do!!

[Aidy]

My take on it  is this, once said seed tat is in the ground, by earthing up it will be protected from any frosts that may appear during the night, for the next few weeks there is always a danger, there should be more than enough energy stored in the seed to see it pop through. Mine on average take around 21 days depending on the weather, once the tops peep through I knocked back the mound a little and re-build and earth up as they grow.

[hurting back]

i did think it would help with the frosts as we get them quite late now

[PAH48]

Hi ...personally I go with Aidy on this one ...even to the point of
taking the tops off the mounds ... best of luck.. at the end of the day
its trial and error and what suits you...

[DIGGER]

This is what you really want to know.

You have planted them now, they will grow