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Height of spuds

steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
in Fruit & veg
I have 3 varieties growing this year (International Kidney, Charlotte and Golden Wonder) and have been a little surprised by the height of the plants. They are now about 4 feet high which I don't remember being attained in previous years. I don't earth up but do plant very deep initially and don't have any surface spuds at risk of going green. All plants look healthy and are flowering now having been in for about 12 weeks. I will wait until the shaws start dying back before harvesting most but might take a sneek peek at the International Kidney next week.
Is it just a combination of lots of rain and a hefty dose of chicken manure or am I a spud genius? :D

Posts

  • WoodgreenWoodgreen Posts: 1,273
    edited July 2021
    No chicken manure here, just a handful of garden compost under each seed potato. Growing in a raised bed, not watered at all or earthed up, mulched with garden compost but like yours, they are very tall! I supported them ahead of recent heavy rain and so glad I did. I too plant very deep.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    14 weeks from planting is the normal cropping time, plus the old adage 'Flowers on top, spuds below.' but a sample for Sunday lunch?  Why not.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    3 varieties here, Kestrel (2nd early), Sarpo Mira (maincrop) and an early maincrop I've not tried before, Carolus.  All have grown taller than usual this year.  In fact, almost everything in the garden seems taller this year than usual, so perhaps I'm shrinking? :D   Several rows have already flowered, but it'll be a while before I can compare the crop size to last year, as I always leave them until the haulms die back in order to maximise the crop weight (have no transport and spuds are heavy!)  They all still look extremely healthy and vigorous but with a lack of rain for much of this year here, I have no doubt the crop will be disappointing.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    only 4 ft my plants go up 6 feet and earth them up every 4 in
    of growth i seen picture of guy earthing in huge pile of compost 
    to 8 ft his production was off the wall with king edward variety.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2021
    @war garden 572  That’s interesting for those who are happy with an 8 ft pile of soil in their garden, but just not practical for the majority of home gardeners.   :/

    I thought you were an exponent of ‘square foot gardening’ … how does earthing up potatoes to six feet fit into your gardening?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I salvaged some big tubs from the skip and as I had some seed spuds left after planting eight rows in the allotment I sowed some in tubs, all early maincrop Desiree and they are looking good so far although I hadn't anticipated the drying out problem I think that is why the person threw them in the skip in the first place, luckily for me the season so far has been wet and I heard a tip of sinking the tubs 20% of their height into the ground, while that isn't practical for me I have put them in to large trugs with chipped bark part way up the potato tub to keep the moisture in. I will be interested to see the results it's all fun isn't it and a way to keep idle hands occupied.
  • cornellycornelly Posts: 970
    Not just potato haulm growing high, all growth this year is over the top, more growth less fruits, 
  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    you add a wood frame around plant and fill it with soil 
    square foot length and width spacing spacing not height. 
    similar to wood boxes in linkhttps://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20706122/how-to-grow-potatoes/
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