Fiffer wrote:
On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:51:49 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

Fiffer wrote:
On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 07:07:04 GMT, Jupiter
wrote:

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 01:40:01 +0100, Fiffer wrote:

I have just taken over a new allotment and have started turning it
into beds 1.5M wide and 6.5M long. The soil is in good condition and
has been well manured. I want to get some maincrop potatoes started.
Deep beds will allow closer planting but this could give problems
earthing up. I would like to try planting under black plastic. Has
anyone done this? What problems are there?

fiffer
It's an increasingly popular way of growing them. Your shoots may not
come up in neat rows because they will be searching for light before
you cut the slits to let them through. Slugs can be a problem as you
are creating ideal warm dark and damp conditions for them. One
recommendation is to put plenty of slug pellets down before you lay
the plastic. Another technique I've seen suggested is to plant the
potatoes singly (with a trowel or dibber) somewhat deeper than usual
and grow them on the flat, covering any tubers which turn up on the
surface with a heavy compost or rotted manure mulch. I'm trying that
this year.

Hi Jupiter,

Thanks for the reply. What depth do you plant for the manure mulch
method?

fiffer
I plant mine as normal, though a little closer, in raised beds. As the
shoots grow so I cover with grass cuttings off the lawn. Works for me.


Hi Broadback,

Do you plant in rows or blocks? Do you get problems with slugs under
the mulch?

fiffer
I am inundated by frogs and toads, so slugs are no great problem to me!
:-) My beds are 4ft wide, so I plant them in rows of four feet length,
about 4 across and the rows 20" apart for earlies and 4 across for
maincrop rows about 2ft apart. From 14lb of earlies and 28lb of lates
we are on our last half sack (there are 2 of us with guests from time to
time) as the spuds are now shooting badly and starting to go soft they
would not last much longer anyway.

--
Please do not reply to this Email address,
as all Emails are deleted before opened.