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  • #1

    earthing up tatties...

    hi guys,

    im growing potatoes for the time this year in 3 sacks. ive been earthing up my potatoes as soon as i see green tips poking through, so ive been doing it quite regularly. however ive just read that you should just earth them up when the shoots are 15-23cm tall. have i ruined my chances of a bountiful sack of potatoes?
    http://pot-to-plot.blogspot.com/ My brand spanking new plot
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  • #2
    No crazii, you haven't. I do mine as they appear but some grapes put their spuds in very deep and leave them to it. Potatoes are very clever!! and persistent. As you would find if you tip this year's used potato compost onto your garden. Next year you'll have little spuds dotted here and there from some so tiny you didn't see them when harvesting. They'll be back - don't fret.

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    • #3
      I grow a few in tubs indoor to get an early crop, I earth them up as and when I have spare compost to hand, some times the tips are a few cms tall some times a lot more. If they are taller you just need to be careful you dont snap them when earthing up. But either way is good.

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      • #4
        Same as Jillyreeves for me, grow a lot in Asda flowerpots for salads and top up as and when at the lotty,tatties are very resilliant veg.
        All the best to all.
        Fred p

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        • #5
          I always believe that its the leaves that give the plant energy and that once the shoots appear above the soil top then there should always be some above ground. If you are going to cover as soon as a shoot appears then you might just as well fill the container to the top to start with but in my opinion that would give a weakened shoot when it finally emerges having fought its way through 12" of soil.

          Ian

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          • #6
            Originally posted by gojiberry View Post
            I always believe that its the leaves that give the plant energy and that once the shoots appear above the soil top then there should always be some above ground. If you are going to cover as soon as a shoot appears then you might just as well fill the container to the top to start with but in my opinion that would give a weakened shoot when it finally emerges having fought its way through 12" of soil.

            Ian
            Precicely what I think too. The plant (like all plants) MUST have leaves that get a decent amount ofl sunlight to photosynthesise and grow successfully.

            My ones in grow bags are earthed up to about an 3-4" below the to top of the main "canopy" of the plant.
            My 2014 No Dig Allotment
            My 2013 No Dig Allotment
            My 2012 No Dig Allotment
            My 2011 No Dig Allotment

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            • #7
              I only cover mine all the way if there's going to be a frost.
              Location....East Midlands.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Lazgaot View Post
                The plant (like all plants) MUST have leaves that get a decent amount ofl sunlight to photosynthesise
                Yup

                Originally posted by Bren In Pots View Post
                I only cover mine all the way if there's going to be a frost.
                Yup again
                All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                • #9
                  Well the P.O bags came in handy, looks like I may need to keep some fleece nearby incase of cold nights.
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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post
                    Well the P.O bags came in handy, looks like I may need to keep some fleece nearby incase of cold nights.
                    mug a postie? you can use anything really to cover them if cold - carpet, cardboard, newspaper,
                    Elsie

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                    • #11
                      Hello all. New on here tonight, 1st year at trying veg, herbs and salad stuff do well. i have used potato bags and charlottes to try as a beginners project and find the info re earthing up quite conflicting.. somewhere ive read cover asap when sprouting is seen poking through soil... some of you lovely grapes talk about leaving shoots to green and then be quite tall before earthing up... like crazi im too worried ive been doing wrong

                      All the best
                      Sarah

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                      • #12
                        hello sarah and welcome, if you can find tattiemans thread that is excellent, i dont know how to link you to it cos am thick on pc but am sure it would come up if you use the search button

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                        • #13
                          thanks Carol !

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by sazzle2901 View Post
                            info re earthing up quite conflicting..
                            It makes sense if you think about why you are earthing up:
                            1) to protect early foliage from frost
                            2) to protect developing tubers from the light
                            3) to encourage more tubers to develop

                            Once you've got 1) and 2) sorted, you can leave the foliage in the daylight. I don't earth up my tatties at all, I just mulch them with grass clippings and/or layers of wet newspaper
                            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                            • #15
                              cheers for the advice guys, ive let mine form little plants now and are just covering with a few inches each time, so that its always got leaves.
                              http://pot-to-plot.blogspot.com/ My brand spanking new plot

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