wrote in message
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Baz wrote:
I bought a plastic tunnel the other day on impulse. I would only get 10
seed potatoes under it but its a start.
Do you get a much earlier harvest? I would like to know, I am always on
the
lookout for ways to get earlier summer crops.

I don't think we've tried potatoes under plastic, but I guess it would
protect against unexpected late frost, which can kill off the top growth
if
you've not been soiling them up enough. Some of ours got zapped by frost
last year.


We bought a house in Leicester with a big chunk of land overgrown with
everything. We hacked it down and ran the Atco Rotosythe over it to 'ground
level' then spread compost in rows about 2 feet wide about 6 feet apart.
Laid out black plastic about 3 feet wide right across the 'field' and cut
crosses in the plastic every 2 - 3 feet and shoved a spud through the cross
into the compost.

Secured the edges of the plastic so the wind couldn't get under and waited.
'Picked' the potatoes as they grew by lifting the plastic.

Later when they were really ready for cropping, rolled the plastic back and
collected the spuds in a wheelbarrow. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar to many for us so
gave them away by the sack load to the neighbours. :-)) Always keep your
neighbours sweet, you have to live with them :-))

Spuds under plastic? Highly recommended.

Mike



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Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
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