First Earlies going in this weekend!! Anyone else?

[Alan Farmer]

Mags, you may need to cover your spuds to protect against cold and wind depending where you are. I always start early on ground covered by bubble wrap, and then contnue to loosen it as the haulm grows. Then earth up and uncover when all risk of frost has gone. Here we usually start planting first week in April if no cover is used. You are in dangerous territory!!!!

[magz.mccarthy]

Aiee, indeed we seem to be just across from eachother. There's a -1 night predicted for Thursday. Will try to get through the scary nighttime allotment to spread some fleece out. Darned job, it keeps interfering with my gardening!

[martynsread]

I got some Lady Christl new potatoes today from the local garden centre to go in a potato barrel I got off eBay. In the barrel instructions it says I can store any first early seed potatoes I don't use for a second crop later in the year but how would I store them and surely they'll be rotten in three months time?

[Jenegade]

Lots of people seem to be using plastic, should I put plastic on instead of double layer of fleece?

I was wondering that too! I suppose it might heat up quicker being plastic? But fleece is great for keeping the frost off... I'm not sure...

[Flummery]

I got some Lady Christl new potatoes today from the local garden centre to go in a potato barrel I got off eBay. In the barrel instructions it says I can store any first early seed potatoes I don't use for a second crop later in the year but how would I store them and surely they'll be rotten in three months time?

Bottom of the fridge. With a mouse-trap in there so no-one eats them by mistake!

[sav025]

Just a quick message about potatoes, first year of growing them, i am interested to know how long it is till you get shoots coming up? growing in big old black feedbags

[Naga]

I got some Rocket too, go them from Wilki's, can't wait to plant them, though mine are going in bags. Also got some Aaron Pilot as well.

[Flummery]

Just a quick message about potatoes, first year of growing them, i am interested to know how long it is till you get shoots coming up? growing in big old black feedbags

I plant in mid March, in the ground, and it can be a month - don't worry!

[maytreefrannie]

Put them in today, just a couple in a bucket. Will put down some more in a couple of weeks (traditionally here earlies go in on 17th March - St Patrick's Day).

[colser]

surely you will all have drunk too much guiness to be able to plant in a straight line

[maytreefrannie]

surely you will all have drunk too much guiness to be able to plant in a straight line

Whazzat? They're shupposed to be in a sh... shtrai... shtraigh' line?

[bramble]

Ah colser, we make the holes the day before and just have to drop them in the next day.

Years of practice and we have it down to a fine art.

[Mi Jardín]

I have mine in one of those potato bags in my plastic greenhouse, they were chitted and they have been in there nearly two weeks now.
They have just started to peep through the soil.
Fingers crossed!

[BrideXIII]

nasty weather this week down here but i am planning a couple of buckets next week.

[Boulders]

I have had my first earlies (Swift) in for three weeks now. I cover them with a thick layer of straw untill they need the first earthing up. Living on the south of the Isle of Wight gives me an early start for most of my Veg: