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#1
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Potatoes under black plastic
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 |
#2
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Potatoes under black plastic
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. |
#3
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Potatoes under black plastic
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 |
#4
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Potatoes under black plastic
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. -- Please do not reply to this Email address, as all Emails are deleted before opened. |
#5
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Potatoes under black plastic
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 |
#6
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Potatoes under black plastic
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. |
#7
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Potatoes under black plastic
On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 16:26:12 +0100, Fiffer wrote:
Do you get problems with slugs under the mulch? The only time I tried it, it was ants that gave the problem, more than slugs. The warmth and darkness was ideal for them. Pam in Bristol |
#8
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plants growing in gutters
Yes i know it is wrong but i love the look of plants growing out of
guttering in houses. i have some sedums growing from a system underneath my guttering that makes it look like they are in gutters but can any of you suggest species of plants that i should use for more colour. thanks ps a newbie so be nice. |
#9
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plants growing in gutters
wrote in message ... Yes i know it is wrong but i love the look of plants growing out of guttering in houses. i have some sedums growing from a system underneath my guttering that makes it look like they are in gutters but can any of you suggest species of plants that i should use for more colour. thanks ps a newbie so be nice. If you go here http://www.myalbum.com/Album=FLRZ48SV and look at the picture whereby we are asking for someone tall, you will see what stuff growing in gutters can do. The theatre had not had any maintenance when "The Friends of Shanklin Theatre" took over and because of the weeds in the gutter, water had crept up under the lead flashing and capillary action took over. Gutter cleared. Problem cleared. -- .................................... I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight. .................................... |
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