I took a walk round the lottie today - just to look mind, too cold for anything else. I noticed one of my neighbours plot had been planted up with potatoes.
Now, I would have thought the ground much too cold to start yet especially with more snow on the way.
Has anyone else any thoughts on this?
Beryl.
Is it too early to plant spuds
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paul.r
Hello Beryl. I think you pays yer money and takes yer chance, when I was in Emsworth most men took a chance with a couple of rows in Feb. and over here in the I.O.W. they (the farmers) have been wacking them in like fury since the end of jan (under fleece mind you) but i think outside even darn sawf here mid too late March is early enough. Working men always by tradition planted their spuds at easter. the only trouble with that one is easter moves about a bit....best rgds paul.
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pigletwillie
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A bit early I fear, on our site here in Leicestershire they generally go in at the end of March, even early April. Thwe warmer soil and ambient temperature soon gets them caught up.
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".
Hi
It certainly is too early in North Scotland - 3" snow and the gound is far too cold and will be for another month. But this weekend I will be planting a couple of well chitted tubers in the new greenhouse (always used to do this in the old tunnel and they always worked) In the sawf I think I would take a chance outside with a few and be prepared with fleece in April.
Chris
It certainly is too early in North Scotland - 3" snow and the gound is far too cold and will be for another month. But this weekend I will be planting a couple of well chitted tubers in the new greenhouse (always used to do this in the old tunnel and they always worked) In the sawf I think I would take a chance outside with a few and be prepared with fleece in April.
Chris
Chris
Too early here too. On the lottie we always wait for Big Jimmy to plant his and then we all follow!!!
It's normally the end of March at the earliest and up to mid April for the first earlies. It depends on the weather. Think i'll wait for a while. The beds are ready for them to go into so it's fine. I might even go and get some more manure and plonk it on for them.
It's normally the end of March at the earliest and up to mid April for the first earlies. It depends on the weather. Think i'll wait for a while. The beds are ready for them to go into so it's fine. I might even go and get some more manure and plonk it on for them.
Lots of love
Lizzie
Lizzie
The Potatoes didn't go in on my plot until the 2nd week in May last year and were harvested with a really high yield in the last week of September.
I really do not see the sense it taking a chance.
I hasten to add that we are too cold for Earlies at our elevetion of 500ft. but they plant Nadine which is a 2nd Early, as a maincrop.
I really do not see the sense it taking a chance.
I hasten to add that we are too cold for Earlies at our elevetion of 500ft. but they plant Nadine which is a 2nd Early, as a maincrop.
JB.
Thank you all for your comments. I think the consensus of opinion is - too early, best not to be too impatient.
I shall wait till the end of the month as normal as in previous years.
Beryl.
I shall wait till the end of the month as normal as in previous years.
Beryl.
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Geoff
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My diary says I planned to plant my Rockets this weekend. It's my birthday next week and I usually plant the weekend before or after. The ground has been dug, composted and sheeted over with clear polythene since January. I plant uner a Geoff Hamilton tunnel cloche. But it has been frosty all week and snowed today so no chance but hopefully next weekend for eating in June.
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Ian F
I'm with Geoff on this. I ws going to plant my Swift this weekend, but with snow on the ground I will cross my fingers for next weekend.
My maincrop will go in at the end of this month,a little earlier than usual, but I am trying to get a decent sized tuber before the blight srikes.
My maincrop will go in at the end of this month,a little earlier than usual, but I am trying to get a decent sized tuber before the blight srikes.
Hello All
I would agree that its too early to plant pots unless you live in an exceptionally mild area. However I am always surprised when digging at this time of year in last year's potato patch just how advanced leftover tubers are. Some that I've turned up in the last few days have lot of underground growth and are about to break the surface. The real problem with planting too early is that the emerging top growth will get caught by late frosts but tubers underground seem quite safe from all except a severe penetrating frost.
I always put half a row of earlies in at the end of Feb time under cloches and take a chance with the weather - keeping ready with fleece and newspaper. Some years I win, some I lose! However those really early first pots are a great treat so I reckon its worth a try.
John
I would agree that its too early to plant pots unless you live in an exceptionally mild area. However I am always surprised when digging at this time of year in last year's potato patch just how advanced leftover tubers are. Some that I've turned up in the last few days have lot of underground growth and are about to break the surface. The real problem with planting too early is that the emerging top growth will get caught by late frosts but tubers underground seem quite safe from all except a severe penetrating frost.
I always put half a row of earlies in at the end of Feb time under cloches and take a chance with the weather - keeping ready with fleece and newspaper. Some years I win, some I lose! However those really early first pots are a great treat so I reckon its worth a try.
John
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oldherbaceous
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If one is lucky enough to have a walled kitchen garden, potato planting can begin at the end of january. Planted nine inches deep in friable soil at the bottom of a south facing wall that has been trained with apricots and peaches. Pull up soil to cover any shoots up, until the end of march.
Be prepared to cover with straw or bracken if frost is likley. You should be digging new potatoes in time for flora day in Helston SAT 6th may.
Do not forget to put some pots of mint in peach house.
kind regards Old herbaceous.
We will always get some sort of weather.
Be prepared to cover with straw or bracken if frost is likley. You should be digging new potatoes in time for flora day in Helston SAT 6th may.
Do not forget to put some pots of mint in peach house.
kind regards Old herbaceous.
We will always get some sort of weather.
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paul.r
Very good Old Herbaceous, thats the trouble with gardening advice, there really are almost as many answers as there are gardeners. Experience of your own cicumstances is the best. only trouble is you cant get it in the shops. rgds paul.
Not even considering setting foot on frozen lottie at the mo. Spent a few weeks moving lots of poo from one end of lottie to the other and digging whenever possible, but it was rather sticky. Now we've had all this freeeeeeeezing weather, am not even entertaining the idea of doing either a) digging or b) planting. Temps last night got down to -4 in Warwickshire. Haven't got 9000 metres of fleece to spread all over me taties, so they'll have to wait.
All me spuds are currently chitting away merrily in a frost free spot awaiting the wonderful moment of planting when the average temperature rises above 1degree!
All me spuds are currently chitting away merrily in a frost free spot awaiting the wonderful moment of planting when the average temperature rises above 1degree!
Re chitting!
Some of my potatoes lifted last September were left in the back of the car a few days and started to turn green, so I thought 'I'll chit these and plant them somewhere sheltered for Christmas new potatoes'
However, they have remain stubbornly dormant in perfect condition (other than being green!) despite sitting on top of my freezer in the utility room which is heated at night due to 17 year old dog sleeping in there. Whereas shop bought potatoes (I did not grow enough last year as I sold more than half of my stock...which I had not planned to do!) start to chit within a few days of purchase
and are kept in a very cold larder as there is an air brick ventilating the room.
The variety of potato was pentland crown, so I'll give it 10/10 for storage properties
I also found 3 kg down in the workshop that I had forgotten about which were still in perfect condition, (the workshop has a missing window and corragated iron roof, so no where near frost proof)
Some of my potatoes lifted last September were left in the back of the car a few days and started to turn green, so I thought 'I'll chit these and plant them somewhere sheltered for Christmas new potatoes'
However, they have remain stubbornly dormant in perfect condition (other than being green!) despite sitting on top of my freezer in the utility room which is heated at night due to 17 year old dog sleeping in there. Whereas shop bought potatoes (I did not grow enough last year as I sold more than half of my stock...which I had not planned to do!) start to chit within a few days of purchase
and are kept in a very cold larder as there is an air brick ventilating the room.
The variety of potato was pentland crown, so I'll give it 10/10 for storage properties
I also found 3 kg down in the workshop that I had forgotten about which were still in perfect condition, (the workshop has a missing window and corragated iron roof, so no where near frost proof)I don't suffer from insanity .... I enjoy it!
Vivianne
Vivianne