spacing rows of potatoes

[The Mouse]

Hi
It's got to that time of year where I can't resist sitting down and trying to plan exactly where on my plot I am going to plant everything over the coming season.
Even though my allotment isn't particularly small, it's always hard to squeeze everything in!

At the moment, it's the potato bed that I'm working on.
I'm planning on growing four varieties this year:
Lady Christl (only five tubers)
Charlotte (20 tubers)
Rooster (20 tubers)
Sarpo Mira (20 tubers)

I've found a spare spot in a fruit bed for the five Lady Christl, where I plan on putting some strawberry plants later in the year (I'll be growing them from seed).
That leaves me with three varieties for the potato bed.
Although I could, at a pinch, leave 3ft between all the rows, I would like if possible to keep part of the bed free for some sweetcorn that I'm struggling to fit in anywhere else. So I was wondering whether I could space the Sarpo Mira (or the Rooster) in rows 4ft apart, but put a row of Charlotte between them - effectively reducing the space to 2ft. My thinking is that as the Charlotte will be lifted sooner than the others, the later ones should still benefit from the wider spacing later in their development.

What do you think ? I would be grateful for any comments / suggestions on my plan.

[garden_serf]

I squeeze stuff in everywhere. The spacings are never measured and it all seems to do ok. I pick and dig out alternates in every case leaving more room for the ones left behind to grow. Then pop in new plants in every available space.
I do however keep an eye on improving soil, mulching to add organic matter; to keep soil moist, to challenge competing weeds, & I use companion planting.
I also try not to steal light from those that need it most.
I personally would not grow things in measured lines. Although I know it works for many people.
Maybe someone who does that will add a note to help you.....

[The Mouse]

Hi, G.S.
Personally, I [i]am[i] one of those people who loves to plan things out carefully at this time of year, so I know in advance where everything can go. And my allotment really lends itself to this kind of organisation - being long and narrow (roughly 50m x 4m), each width is a perfect length for planning rows of things. The only trouble is , when the time comes to start planting and sowing I usually forget to take my plan with me and end up with things all over !!!
The best layed plans, and all that

But I will carry on planning - one year I might end up with things where I intended.

[John]

Hello Caz
I notice that you say you are going to plant Lady Christl in a fruit bed and then follow these with some strawberry plants. A word of warning here. There is a serious disease of strawberries called verticillium wilt that is harboured by potatoes and it is always recommended to allow several years between potatoes and strawberries. There is a lot on Google about this problem, mainly intended for commercial growers, but here is some less technical stuff:

"Verticillium wilt: First appears as wilting and drying of outer strawberry leaves. Infected plants often wilt completely if conditions are especially severe. Symptoms can appear when first-year plants are setting runners or when fruits begin to ripen on bearing plants. Plant verticillium-resistant varieties. Avoid planting in areas where potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, raspberries or strawberries were planted in the past three years."

Although you are only intending to grow 5 potato plants and your strawbs will be grown from seed I don't think it worth the risk trying to mix the two crops.

As far as spacing rows of potato plants goes I always plant at 3 ft between the rows because it's so much easier to earth up and I use closer spacing in the rows for earlies and wider spacings for later crops.

John

[The Mouse]

Hi John
Thanks for the warning about verticillium wilt.
There was something niggling me in the back of my mind about mixing potatoes and strawberries (honest!), but I had convinced myself that I was imagining it.
I'm glad you reminded me. I'll definitely find a different spot for the Lady Christl.