Planting potatoes in the ground

[MarkHackwell]

What do other people add to the soil to grow potatoes in the ground? I was going to use Chicken manure, Fish Blood and Bone and some Potato Fertiliser but can't decide if it's better to use the Chicken manure or to get some Stable manure or alternatively compost to put in the bottom of the drill

[solanaceae]

I would say a lot depends on the current state of your soil.

My soil is a sticky clay so I've had to add manure/compost to it in the past in order to create a looser soil structure for the tubers to grow in. The good thing about clay is it locks in a lot of nutrients so I've been able to harvest a good crop of tatties each year without having to use fertilizer.

I did experiment with chicken manure pellets last year, and the crop was even better. Imo I'd say use these manure pellets as they provide a balanced amount of nutrients all of which potatoes need to grow well. Whereas bone meal(which has more of an emphasis on phosphorus and calcium), i think tends to be for helping vigorous root growth and fruit set, so helpful for things like newly planted trees or tomato plants.

[bramble]

I planted out my potatoes yesterday and I used seaweed, rotted leaves and chicken pellets.
I did this last year and was pleased with the crop I got.

[FeedTheSoil]

I'd put a bit of compost in I recon. In my opinion if manures are used they should be composted but at the very least well rotted.

[Muddy_Boots]

I just sprinkle fish blood and bone fert on and use the compost out my bins dug into the plot.

I don't advocate using slug pellets on top of your soil but I do sprinkle them in with the seed potatoes when I plant them to kill any slugs underground that try to eat them before the plants get established.

That way Mrs Tiggywinkle and the birds are not harmed in any way.

[Snadger]

I don't use chicken pellets but always thought they weren't a balanced fertiliser and were high in nitro? If so, surely you will encourage top growth at the detriment to tuber production?

[KevinM67]

I fill my trenches with ripped comfrey leaves, which we have growing in abundance round the perimeter of the plots.

A bit of compost around each individual seed potato and some shredded newspapers if I have any (although I don't really buy them nowadays).

I bought some potato fertiliser from the pound shop - never used it before, but might sprinkle some on this year.

[bramble]

I dont have access to proper manure so what ever is at hand gets used for the potatoes.
I have also used shredded paper.

[TrialAndError]

Definitely wouldn't add chicken manure pellets, they are very high in nitrogen. I use compost from the compost heap and a handful of blood fish and bone per plant worked into the surrounding soil.

[roitelet]

Chicken manure will encourage scab because of the high nitrogen content.

[solanaceae]

I don't use chicken pellets but always thought they weren't a balanced fertiliser and were high in nitro? If so, surely you will encourage top growth at the detriment to tuber production?

Just had a quick look at the NPK info on the tubs, and you are somewhat right Snadger. I thought chicken pellets were balanced in NPK but it turns out it's slightly leaning towards nitro. The NPK was 4.5-3.5-2.5.

Compared to bone meal it's balanced at least, maybe that's what I meant . Bone meal NPK is 3-9-0.

[solanaceae]

To be honest the only reason I use chicken manure pellets is because I saw a vid on the bbc site where a fella called Toby Buckland recommended they be used. And as he's been a regular on gardener's world I took it as gospel. Can't complain, always get a fab crop .

BBC - Gardening - Gardening Guides - Techniques - Growing potatoes

[Martin H]

I've used chicken pellets the last couple of years, too. But this year I got a bag of potato fertilizer from the allotment shop, I'm going to do half with one and half with the other, see how it works out.