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Do you have to use earth to earth up potatoes?
Stephanie newish gardener
Posts: 516
in Fruit & veg
I asked this at the end of an old thread but it must have got lost. I've got some almost done compost that I need to shift so wonder if I can use it to earth up my spuds.
It's a bit chunky and has some half composted leaves in it plus a few woody bits. I'm filtering out the biggest bits but am not sure if the 'earth' used in earthing up should have some nutrients.
Also the haulm has shot up in the last week and there is about a foot now above ground. Is it too late to get spuds from those stems, so is earthing up now not worth it?
Thanks
No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish. 
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The main reason for earthing up is to protect any potatoes developing near the surface from receiving light, which turns them green and inedible. Another reason is that it helps to keep down weeds. You don't actually have to earth up potatoes at all for them to produce a crop. Your home-made compost will be fine and will help to retain water which they will really appreciate. There was a short section in "The Beechgrove Garden' last week about earthing up potatoes (on BBC i-player if you missed it.)
Thanks Bob. In case you're wondering why I don't use the earth by the potatoes, it's because there isn't really enough. And since gardening - and indeed life - is about learning by doing, I won't be sowing lettuce and Pak choi again in a spare space that then becomes the shady side of the potatoes. D'oh!
Heh heh - I've been guilty of doing that in the past! Gardening is a continual learning process and I'm still learning as much today as I was 40 years ago! The real trick is to try and not make the same mistake twice, except that the problemI have now is trying to remember all of those past mistakes!
By the way, your spuds look very healthy!
Last edited: 04 June 2017 12:58:35
Thanks, I'm quite pleased with them myself
The ones you can see are Maris Pipers and we have some rocket and Charlotte too. Some of the rocket are starting to flower so I'm thinking of having a cautious rummage to see what the spuds are like....this is where it gets exciting!
I'm slightly less sure about some of the Pak choi as they look to be about to flower. It grew quickly enough though so I can sow more, in fact let's add that to the long list of jobs...
Leave that until next month. I think it's light rather than warmth but they do bolt quite quickly at this time of year. If you sow them in Jul (or later) they seem to grow better
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Yes, they're day-length sensitive and less likely to bolt when the days start getting shorter (ie after June 21st.)
Ah, I didn't know that, and here we are in North Aberdeenshire where it hardly gets dark at this time of year... Good job they do grow quickly and there's more seed in the packet!