[Eatyourgreens]

I am intending growing new potatoes in my raised beds so I have got some Premiere seed potatoes chitting at the moment. I could do with a bit of info on spacing, my raised beds are about 45 inches wide (12foot long).


Is there an online guide to spacing (All types of veg) for optimum growth (By that I mean if I plant cauliflowers I actually want full size veg, not mini greens.) in raised beds.



Bob

[dougsta]

This should help with the spacing of your spuds

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/info/growing-potatoes/introduction.html

HTH

[LivvyW]

This may be worth a look for you. They used to do a free trial, not sure if they still do.

 www.GrowVeg.com

Sorry can't do a proper link.

[Eatyourgreens]

Cheers for the replies, but not really what I was after.

I have grown tatties and most veg for many years, but never in raised beds, so on normal ground I know about spacing.

In raised beds you often hear you can fit more in the amount of space.

My beds are 45 inches (nearly four foot) across, so I was wondering if I could get more than 3 potato plants per row or is it not worth trying.

The same question could be asked for all the larger spaced plants like Cauliflowers. Is it worth trying to get more than two (I.E. three) across the bed.


Bob

[mumofstig]

I've planted 2 rows of spuds down the length of the beds 12 x 4ft, and planted at normal spacings. don't think that closer spacing works for spuds, tho it does seem to work on other stuff on beds with rich soil..........but mine ain't got to that stage yet

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, i used to put mine 4 across the bed and rows 2 foot apart, just for earlies, but i now grow all my spuds on the flat and get better results.

[Markjp]

My raised beds are 44" apart and I have grown first earlies 12" apart each way, so I get 3 plants to the width of the bed. I have done this for the last 2 years and the yeilds have been pretty good. I wouldn't grow them any closer though.

[Eatyourgreens]

It was only going to be 2 or 3 in a row, just wondered if I could push it to 3 (Which I have done for the first two rows anyway). Will probably put in a couple of rows of just 2 plants as a control then go back to 3 per row.


Bob

[andtiggertoo]

hi jay dubya, my raised beds are very similar size to yours, 13ft long, 4ft 4 wide. In my potato bed I'm growing 3 types of salad potatoes, 2 first earlies and one second early. I have got 3 rows growing the length of the bed.
I also struggled to find an answer to the spacing for raised beds. I have ended up planting the outer rows 8ins from sides which leaves 18ins on either side of the central row. I planted the spuds 12ins apart in the rows. I also intend to put beetroot in between the rows, and will be following the spuds with leeks.

I don't how these will grow compared to a wider spacing, but I did notice the spacing recommended on the packet of seed potatoes was much tighter than that recommended in all the veg growing books. I suspect the spacing on the packet was inadequate in order to encourage us to buy more seed potatoes than we have space to plant.

[DD.]

12" between spuds is the standard spacing for earlies, even in open ground and you should get away with 18" between the rows.

However, be prepared for disappointment with the beetroot, as I think you'll find the spuds will soon crowd that out and unless you start the spuds will the hills in place, you'll run into problems there.

Leeks following on from earlies is sound though.

[Adrian]

When you plant most veg in raised beds, you don't bother with traditional "rows". Space the seeds/plants equidistant apart in all directions, which practically means in staggered little rows across the beds.

As a general rule, the distance should be about the same as recommended for the "between plants" on packets, in books, etc. The bigger gaps for rows typically allow for access, hoeing, etc. which you shouldn't need in raised beds. If you use traditional row spacing, you'll waste much of the space in the bed. Also raised beds should allow for more intensive growing, again meaning no big gaps between rows.

For potatoes, this works just the same, so earlies are about 12" apart each way and maincrops about 18" apart. Tha should mean you will probably get staggered rows of 3 spud each for earlies and alternating 3 and 2 spuds for maincrop (if Iv'e calculated correctly). The more room, the better likelihood of more and bigger spuds.

Earlies:
------------------------------
 o        o
      o
 o        o
      o
 o        o
      o
-----------------------------

Maincrops:
------------------------------

 o        o
      o
 o        o
      o
 o        o

-----------------------------

Cheers,

Adrian

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, just read what Adrian says, i couldn't put it better myself, although for maincrop it's good to have a bit of flat land for the bulk.

[peapod]

Excellent clear post Adrian,thanks!

[mumofstig]

Agree with the offset patterns for other veg but it will be a bit difficult to earth up if you use that sort of pattern for potatoes though..... won't it?

That why i went for the 2 long rows so i can easily pull up earth from the middle of the bed with the draw hoe.

[andtiggertoo]

DD thanks for advice about beetroot, I think I might be able to find somewhere else to put them. Could i put them in my legumes bed ? I know they are root crops so for rotation purposes don't belong in there, but I shall be planting brassicas in that bed next so surely that won't be a problem ?

Adrian Thanks for spacing advice too, having planned my brassica bed out on paper, I'm now wondering whether to to plant the kale a bit closer together, as I shall be needing as much space as possible for all those lovely cabbages, celabrese and kale ( and I was going to interplant these with spinach and rocket ).

advice on this is very much appreciated, thanks