Planting Potatoes - Manure

[MarkHackwell]

I was thinking of planting my first early potatoes very soon and have tilled the whole plot and it seems not too wet or too dry. I was going to put some manure in that I brought but the question is do I rotivate it in or dig where the potatoes are to go then put the potatoes on top of the manure? and also farm manure or horse manure as i have both?

[Tripmeup]

Just put the manure on the ground and plant the potatoes on top of it...

[SarzWix]

I just spread the muck on top of the ground. Some end up mixed in as you're planting, the worms pull the rest down

[Aberdeenplotter]

and I set up ridges 27" apart. Put FYM in the bottom, push the seed spuds into the FYM , scatter a handful of growmore every yard or so then pull soil down over the soil covering to a depth of 3-4".

I have a NZflatworm problem so have very few earthworms.

The biggest value of the FYM isn't nutritional but the ability to retain moisture underground during dry spells.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't "dig in" anything.

Worms like their food on the soil surface (as a mulch) and they drag it down into their burrows, hence "digging it in" for you.

If you "dig" then you collapse and destroy the worms' tunnels ~ the very creatures that you want to encourage.

Mulch, mulch, mulch.

[bearded bloke]

Just put the manure on the ground and plant the potatoes on top of it...

.... and then cover with straw,is a very old fashioned way of growing spuds,works well ask Binley100

[SeleneMourie]

Does the manure have to be rotted?
I have access to fresh manure but don't really have anywhere for it to rot down.
I like the idea of putting manure in a hole (big furrows the man and the boy dug for me whilst at work today lol), cover with some straw, and a little mud, pop the chitted tatty on top and cover in the next few weeks.

[rustylady]

Does the manure have to be rotted?
I have access to fresh manure but don't really have anywhere for it to rot down.
I like the idea of putting manure in a hole (big furrows the man and the boy dug for me whilst at work today lol), cover with some straw, and a little mud, pop the chitted tatty on top and cover in the next few weeks.

The trouble with fresh manure is that it can burn any part of the plant that touches it, including roots. Are you sure you have nowhere to stack it? A Dalek or wooden compost bin maybe?

[SeleneMourie]

I had a few buckets on the patio rotting down (no garden at home) but it is not enough manure for what i need it for. If i had thought ahead i could have dumped more than i did on the patch at the end of last year but i still had things growing in it.
I do have a compost Dalek at the lottie though (i say lottie but really it is just a patch of land less than half a half plot)

[Shelleybobs]

.... and then cover with straw,is a very old fashioned way of growing spuds,works well ask Binley100

a really good idea which i will try this spring 2014

thank you