In article , Paul Taylor
writes
Most books I read on planting pototoes say they need earthing up -
however as I only have limited space I want to plant the rows closer
together which means I can no longer earth them up. To counter this I am
considering planting the seed pototoes deeper. This seems to make sense
to me (but I'm not a vastly experianced gardner!). Could anyone please
comment on this as a reasonable sensible technique - or do spuds really
have to be earthed up.

You could grow potatoes without earthing them up, but they would produce
much less crop as a result. Planting them deeper does not help because
potato tubers form up just below the surface of the ground. When the
first tubers after sowing have developed, the plants are earthed up and
further new tubers form above them. This can be continued several times
and new tubers will begin each time. This is the surest way of
increasing your total crop.

Planting the seed too closely can also restrict the crop from each
plant. You would finish up with about the same total weight of crop from
the area as with wider spacing, but with increased risk of diseases
brought about by intensive growing.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.