[zestymordant]

From 18th-22nd April I planted my main crop of potatoes.

I've got it written down somewhere that I should fertlise this Sunday and then every four weeks after. If this is the case how do I fertilise? I have some white powder that I mix in with water, some FBB and some Suphate of Potash.

I've heard the Sulphate of Potash is supposed to be best for tatties but I was wondering how I apply it? I don't really see what sprinkling it on will do when the tatties are so deep in the ground.

Thank you

[zestymordant]

Just to clarify I know how to apply the one I mix with water, but everything I read about the SoP and the FBB seems to state that it's something you fertilise with before planting anything.

Can I just sow the SoP, rake it in, and water?

[Kleftiwallah]

If you cannot make such an exact date, don't worry.  A day or a week isn't going to condemn your spuds to everlasting hunger,  gardening is wonderfully flexible.

Just a handfull of 'the stuff' sprinkled round the base of your spuds and let the rain wash it down to where it is needed.     Cheers,     Tony.

[JayG]

I've got it written down somewhere that I should fertlise this Sunday and then every four weeks after. If this is the case how do I fertilise? I have some white powder that I mix in with water, some FBB and some Suphate of Potash.

2 questions: Did you fertilise them when you planted them, and what is the white powder?

I fertilise when planting, then a sprinkling of Growmore when I earth up (probably 2 or 3 times in the approximately 12 weeks of growth of my first earlies - less would be OK in more fertile soil than mine.) Can't use BFB in my garden because the foxes dig it up! 

You say yours are maincrop, which will be in the ground longer - I'd use the BFB first because it takes longer to act - adding it when earthing up will keep it nearer to the roots and covering it up means it will become incorporated more quickly.

[zestymordant]

Thanks both for your help.

I did what Kleftiwallah said but I'm not sure I did it right, I'll tell you what I did in a moment.

To answer JayG's questions:

I fertilised with FBB two weeks before planting, and the white powder is "soluble multi-purpose plant feed" from Wilkos, it says use 2 scoops per gallon per square metre (once a week which seems a bit much!)

I had to go to my allotment to clarify what the white powder was so I thought I may as well fertilise the potatoes whilst I was down there. In one plot I used two handfuls per row of FBB and on the other plot I did the same with the Sulphate of Potash.

Thing is, I then looked on the back of the SoP pack and it recommended using 35g per square metre but my two handfuls per row seem to have used half a 1.5kg box! Is this serious overkill?

[AnneB]

Am I doing things wrong?  I manure the bed the previous autumn, then leave the spuds to get on with it.  I don't add anything else and seem to get good crops.

Should I be adding something else to do better still?

Spuds are one of the crops I more or less leave to get on with things by themselves.

[starry]

Am I doing things wrong?  I manure the bed the previous autumn, then leave the spuds to get on with it.  I don't add anything else and seem to get good crops.

Should I be adding something else to do better still?

Spuds are one of the crops I more or less leave to get on with things by themselves.

I am with you AnneB I manure in the autumn add some growmore 2 weeks before planting and thats more or less it might throw on a bit more growmore but thats about it, and I always have loads of spuds  

[DD.]

Likewise.

Initial manuring. That's it - got on with it!

[lucywil]

The only other thing I do other than the chicken pellets in when planted is cut loads of comfrey and lay it over the rows, it helps to keep the weeds down too

[AndyRVTR]

Ditto the above... I always manure at planting time and that's normally it, but this year I will be feeding with Growmore too, my early spuds have already had a feed this week, (planted 10th March). My maincrop will get a feed in about a months time and that should do them until harvest time.