I am going to re-do my allotment this year by dividing it up into raised beds. I want to plant some potatoes but am not sure how well I will be able to ridge them up in the beds. Has anyone grown potatoes in beds using black polythene as a cover? I am sure I have read something about this but would appreciate some advice/feedback from anyone who has done that.
Thanks
Haggis
Potatoes in raised beds
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I didnt ridge them up as I didn't plant in rows just in blocks with the same spacing in all directions. I planted them a little deeper than usual (about 6-9 inches). I put a layer of soil conditioner (about 3 75ltr bags per 15ft x 4ft beds) over them when they had grown to about 3-4 inches. The crop was quite good.
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pigletwillie
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I have found that using black polythene on raised beds just acts as quality slug accommodation. I have lots of raised beds but dont waste them planting spuds, they go staight into the ground.
Last edited by pigletwillie on Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Kindest regards Piglet
"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind".
"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind".
On my raised beds I take out a trench a good spades depth, add a layer of rotted compost, place the potatoes on top, fill in. I earth up once when the tops begin to show then add a thick mulch of compost, grass clippings etc. making sure they have been well watered first. Raised beds tend to dry out much quicker.
Beryl.
Beryl.
Hi
I only grow a few early and salad crops planting them in rows across the beds spaced at the normal 1ft apart and 2ft between the rows. They get a good load of manure in the botton of the trench. I earth up in the traditional way because I like the process. This year I'm growing Maris Bard, Charlotte and Pink Fir Apple. Thoght about Lady Christl but couln't find a local supplier and can't afford the mail order carriage charges to N. Scotland. I sometimes grow a few in a very deep bed i.e. the compost heap.
I only grow a few early and salad crops planting them in rows across the beds spaced at the normal 1ft apart and 2ft between the rows. They get a good load of manure in the botton of the trench. I earth up in the traditional way because I like the process. This year I'm growing Maris Bard, Charlotte and Pink Fir Apple. Thoght about Lady Christl but couln't find a local supplier and can't afford the mail order carriage charges to N. Scotland. I sometimes grow a few in a very deep bed i.e. the compost heap.
Chris
This year I have built a 4'x4'x1'deep Box.
The ground underneath has been well manured and when the time comes I intend to plant 10 Maris Bard, that are chitting well at the moment, on the surface well rotted manure and cover with about 6" of soil and earthup when they emerge by just adding more soil to the top of the box. The box is screwed together as opposed to nailing and the one end is two pieces of 4'x 6" timber so I can easily get to the crop by un screwing one piece of timber.
I have built an exact replica box and intend to mass sow with Carrots which will end up in 14 rows 3" equidistant (hopefully 196 Carrots)The area is the equvalent to 13 buckets of Carrots and My daughter sows Carrots in umpteem buckets and seems to do very well so I thought I'd try. This is apart from my normal sowings of Carrots.
My reason is that as I get older I am finding the digging a bit much and want to keep gardening as long as possible and thought I would try a few methods before it's too late.
The ground underneath has been well manured and when the time comes I intend to plant 10 Maris Bard, that are chitting well at the moment, on the surface well rotted manure and cover with about 6" of soil and earthup when they emerge by just adding more soil to the top of the box. The box is screwed together as opposed to nailing and the one end is two pieces of 4'x 6" timber so I can easily get to the crop by un screwing one piece of timber.
I have built an exact replica box and intend to mass sow with Carrots which will end up in 14 rows 3" equidistant (hopefully 196 Carrots)The area is the equvalent to 13 buckets of Carrots and My daughter sows Carrots in umpteem buckets and seems to do very well so I thought I'd try. This is apart from my normal sowings of Carrots.
My reason is that as I get older I am finding the digging a bit much and want to keep gardening as long as possible and thought I would try a few methods before it's too late.
JB.
Hi JB
Planted my carrots in tubs last year and they were fine. Never had success with them in the ground so did it that way. They were a bit smaller thatn some of the others on the plot but that didn't bother me. You can sow successionally this way and keep them going all year in the greenhouse.
What am I telling you that for? You know anyway.
Big hug JB
Planted my carrots in tubs last year and they were fine. Never had success with them in the ground so did it that way. They were a bit smaller thatn some of the others on the plot but that didn't bother me. You can sow successionally this way and keep them going all year in the greenhouse.
What am I telling you that for? You know anyway.
Big hug JB
Lots of love
Lizzie
Lizzie
I don't sow carrots in rows, I just broadcast the seed to fit the area I am covering with a fleece tunnel. No thinning required and a much bigger crop.
Thanks for all of the replies - will probably try a combination of different methods to see what suits best. Will avoid the black plastic though.
Good tips re the carrots too - one vegetable which I have never managed to grow successfully but I will try again this year. Doesn't look like I will be getting anything done in the garden for ages though because it is snowing again. We had a lot of snow last week and everything is saturated . The snow had just about all gone by yesterday but as I am typing I am looking out of the window and it is back. Aaaagh
Have to content myself with my propogator and ordering a plant house.
Good tips re the carrots too - one vegetable which I have never managed to grow successfully but I will try again this year. Doesn't look like I will be getting anything done in the garden for ages though because it is snowing again. We had a lot of snow last week and everything is saturated . The snow had just about all gone by yesterday but as I am typing I am looking out of the window and it is back. Aaaagh
Have to content myself with my propogator and ordering a plant house.