Talkback: How to earth up potaotes - Talkback

3154

24/11/2011 at 15:27

Any Update useful for Southwest France would be helpful, I've just subscribed to your magazine and it appears to be a little ahead here for planting although we get frost still

blossom_1

24/11/2011 at 15:27

Growing veg for the first time this year, as I have a flower garden not much room so have made a couple of boxes 4ftx4ft & plan to grow potatoes in large flower tubes. Unsure if they will be deep enough at 14"? Do I need to feed, if so what & when?

milann

24/11/2011 at 15:27

I've watched and read about potatoes - now I'm going to give it a go it looks fairly straightforward and hope mine are as successful as the Gardeners World team!!

hosta

24/11/2011 at 15:27

Hi im gonna have a go at the potatoes too (first time) and like othergarders here I too am trying veg for first time starting easy with tomatoes lettuce and cucumber and herbs.

I garden in pots but how deep does a pot have to be and wide for planting potatoes.Im not sure and its getting time to plant soon.

summerplace

24/11/2011 at 15:27

Just the information I was looking for presented in a sraightforward
understandable way. I find the website very user friendly

jamie_butterworth

24/11/2011 at 15:27

how do i actually earth up potatoes in baghs?

eandr

24/11/2011 at 15:28

Can you please tell me if it is really necessary to rank up potatoes.

Thank you for any information you can give me on this subject
Regards Ron.

siorapwil1

24/11/2011 at 15:28

Hi
Thank you for this tip will try next season.

Siorapwil

latestarter

24/11/2011 at 15:28

Iam planting late seed potatoes the first week in August, any tips anybody?

bridgehouse

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I tried growing potatoes according to instructions given. The plants are looking great although white fllies are plenty around the leaves!
generally how long after planting can I check the soil for potatoes?

daveynorthcott

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Hi I'm growing potatoes for the first time in a bin/pot on my balcony and the plants are now very tall but there is now more space to earth them up any further.... Does this matter?

Also please can someone tell me how I know when the potatoes are ready - I read somewhere that you can just fell around in the soil but when I do that it fels as though I am breaking roots so I've stopped.

Any tips would be appreciated, thanks :)

Gweno

24/11/2011 at 15:29

We planted our 1st potatoes this year & did not realise we had to add soil till the last minute but still managed to get some nice spuds. Hopefully next year we will have double now we know what to do !

bgaynor001

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I grow potatoes in potatoe bags, can I re-use the compost in order to grow other vegetables.

Teabag

08/03/2012 at 16:34

I, have got a new allotment and I've had to spray roundup to clear all the weeds will still be alright to plant my Early's by the end of march

daveandtrish1967

19/03/2012 at 19:31

How do you know when to harvest,is it after flowering?

john turner

11/04/2012 at 17:32

I have put some potatoes in tubs but I have also filled the tubs about 18" deep is this ok or will they rot
John Turner

Excitable Boy

12/04/2012 at 17:29

John - planting depth should be 5-6 inches. If you have put 18" on top of the tubers that is too much and it would be best to take some off initially and then earth up as per the article.

Teabag - Yes, so long as frosts have passed.

dave and trish - generally once the flowers have died the tubers are ready. Obviously if you are happy with smaller earlies you can harvest them earlier. We just tend to dig what we want and leave the rest to continue growing.

bgaynor - If you are only using compost then I would imagine it will be spent. You can still use it as a soil conditioner though.

hamish2

12/04/2012 at 21:55

Earthing up is nessecary to stop the tubers going green (a poison)also earth up as the tatties are stem tubers not off the roots

Coffeeinthesquare

27/04/2012 at 20:20

14" pots are a bit low, but you will get some potatoes. Once you've earthed up to the rim consider extending the height with cardboard or a ring of plastic from a compost bag. The higher you can go the better, but width is not so important. Just plant fewer tubers in each pot.
Potatoes need loads of water. But I've heard that you can earth up win straw, though I always use compost ( I know that will conserve the moisture). You can also feed them with a liquid manure or dilutes worm tea.

alisondicky

22/05/2012 at 11:29

My potatoes have reached the top of their container and I have earthed up again! I can't reall do this anymore as the container won't allow. I am already in danger of it spilling over. Is it OK to leave them to grow properly now?