Potatoes: Buying, Chitting, Planting, Earthing Up; Harvesting.

Fay

Morning potatoe pickers! I am a little concerned about my first earlies I planted two and a half weeks ago (maris bard)-I have had to earth them up 3 times and they really do show a lot when they come through. I'v also got 2 potatoe bags with 3 seed potatoes in each, again these have had to have more compost added 3 times now. Is this a normal rate? I'm a bit worried about poisoning us as I read that if you don't earth up properly the tubers can go green and poison you...eek.

Lotus-eater

Fay wrote: »

Morning potatoe pickers! I am a little concerned about my first earlies I planted two and a half weeks ago (maris bard)-I have had to earth them up 3 times and they really do show a lot when they come through. I'v also got 2 potatoe bags with 3 seed potatoes in each, again these have had to have more compost added 3 times now. Is this a normal rate? I'm a bit worried about poisoning us as I read that if you don't earth up properly the tubers can go green and poison you...eek.

It's quite simple, if you have a green potato, don't eat it

Earth up as much as you can, then stop.

Fay

Lotus-eater wrote: »

It's quite simple, if you have a green potato, don't eat it

Earth up as much as you can, then stop.

Although I'm a novice veg grower I am an experienced eater and wouldn't touch a green spud :eek: Is there any guide to when earthing up has been done 'enough'? Or do I try to keep going until the end of may ready for harversting early July? All advice is very gratefully received and catalogued!

Lotus-eater

I think people normally earth up twice, when they are in the ground you earth up till you run out of earth.

annie123

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I think people normally earth up twice,.

Yep, that's what I do, first one when stems/leaves are -8" tall, earth up 6", then repeat when reaches 10" tall.
Then leave to grow, dig and enjoy

aliasojo

annie123 wrote: »

Yep, that's what I do, first one when stems/leaves are -8" tall, earth up 6", then repeat when reaches 10" tall.
Then leave to grow, dig and enjoy

Oh my, yet another thing I've been doing wrong. :rotfl:

I grew spuds in bags last year, if there was a bit of green showing then I'd chuck more earth over and completely cover the lot every time I passed. They never really got to see daylight until they were big.

I'm lucky anything grows with me at all really.

sparrer

Same here aliasojo, when the greenery started to show I covered it completely. Can't cover any more as they're in tubs and the leaves are a good 12" above the top so it doesn't seem to have done any harm, thank goodness! Now, if I can just be patient and not prod about to see what's happening under the soil...:o

aliasojo

sparrer wrote: »

Now, if I can just be patient and not prod about to see what's happening under the soil...:o

I have those bags with wee doors at the bottom. Been there.

I'm going to leave them alone this year.

Fay

aliasojo and sparrer I've been doing exactly the same-I shall try annie123's method now though. Thanks guys.

sparrer

aliasojo wrote: »

I'm going to leave them alone this year.

Wonder who'll give in first :rotfl: