Potatoes planted too deep?

[BarleySugar]

I was wondering if someone can help here. Son number 2 helpfully planted in some potatoes for me yesterday. Unfortunately he misunderstood the directions, I meant 10cm, he planted round about 10 inches
Will they make their way up OK, or should we try to dig them up He will be so upset if I have to tell him they need to come out. Apparently it took him about 3 hours digging such deep trenches! he put home made compost underneath each one too, so he worked really hard.

[Lotsaveg]

I've always planted mine that deep or even deeper. Never bothered chitting either and always have a reasonable crop.

[scarletrunner]

Plants will be fine but sounds like hard work to harvest?

[Pies]

They will be fine

[Florence Fennel]

Wish I had a son as helpful. I'm sure they'll be fine, don't worry.

[Chef_uk]

The potatoes will push up anyway hence the need to earth up every now and again.

[BarleySugar]

Ah well, perhaps we won't have to earth them up At least the soil is easy to dig, unlike our clay soil at home. I doubt he'd have got that far down in our garden! He planted them in our landshare garden, this is the 3rd year we've had it.

[Kristen]

Just thinking out loud:

It will take more energy to grow up through a greater depth of soil.

If you were to "draw away" some of the soil, say 5", the leaves would fine the surface sooner, and start generating energy for the plant. You could then "earth up" - by filling in the trench a bit - for example when frost is forecast, but by trying to maximise the amount of leaf that can see the sun when there is no frost. (If no frosts come at all then earth up anyway)

But I read of all sorts of planting methods, and "abuse" that spuds are given, and folk generally seems to get a good harvest, so this may be completely unnecessary.

[VirginVegGrower]

They will be OK at that and less chance of getting frosted - no earthing for a bit either. Wish my son was interested - he just wants to grow his Xbox/PS3 collection!

[King Carrot]

Farmers plant around that depth as they don't earth up - they'll be fine

[Chef_uk]

They will be OK at that and less chance of getting frosted - no earthing for a bit either. Wish my son was interested - he just wants to grow his Xbox/PS3 collection!

Believe it or not, that was me up until last month. Haven't touched the PS3 in weeks now though. Granted I am 30 so he may have some years left before he gives his console up I had thought of calling my blog The Gaming Gardener as it was a big part of my life and thought it was a unique name but the gaming part of me has been dieing now for 12 months or so so binned that idea straight away. Maybe he could use it?

[jerry]

too deep

good day i have allway,s planted potatoe tuber between 8/ 10 inces deep on a layer of garden compose and have all way had a great return my two young sons help each year and have done from the age of 5/6 year old
so do't worry there be fine

[Hazel at the Hill]

Yep - mine are planted like that too.

And welcome to the Vine, Jerry.

[womble]

Granted I am 30 so he may have some years left before he gives his console up

I would have thought so, I'm 40 and regularly take to the xbox, or one of my other squillion games machines.

Not for the last week though, I've been too busy making the most of the nice weather.