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spuds

tommysmithtommysmith Posts: 25
in Fruit & veg

I'm growing potatos for the first time they are in 12inch deep raised beds, someone told us that when the green leaves start to come thru to cover them with soil, ive done this twice now, but how many times do i do this as the spud plants ive seen have the green showing, if you know what i mean.

Sorry for the wording but i'am very new to this.

Posts

  • SherwoodArrowSherwoodArrow Posts: 281

    image i always "earth up" potatos till there is ruffly (sometimes less) a foot of soil on top, i do this gradually so the leaves keep coming up. After this you leave the leaves to grow and make like a bush on top, they will then flower and after this die back a bit which is when you dig them up (you can dig before but i find if you wait you get more spuds).

    Earthing up helps the plant produce more spuds as there is more room. 

    Hope this helps im only a novice and i know how puzzling it can be.image

    Nottinghamshire.
    Failure is always an option.

  • GRACELANDGRACELAND Posts: 46

    <span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; background-color: #eeeeee;">Earthing up helps the plant produce more spuds as there is more room. 

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Out of interest, I've got some 'auto potatoes' (probably from some compost). The top growth is about 9" I guess, and I'm wondering whether it would be worth cobbling up some sort of bottomless tube to plonk over them and earth them up from now on? Or do more experienced folk think it's too late?

  • SherwoodArrowSherwoodArrow Posts: 281

    figrat i would earth them up a bit, about half way up the plant and they shoud be ok.

    You can either pull the compost/soil up around the plant or pour some compost/soil on top like a mole heap this will help you get more potatos.

    Hope this helps image  

    Nottinghamshire.
    Failure is always an option.

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Thanks, I'll give that a go.

  • tommysmithtommysmith Posts: 25

    thanks for the info ive just looked and ive got about a foot of a mound so will leave them be now, fingers crossed.

  • LilyanneLilyanne Posts: 21

    The main reason for earthing up is to protect the newly formed potatoes being exposed to the light. This would turn them green which is poisonous.

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