Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench, eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

David WE Roberts wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the
seed potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original
planting level must be around the same depth as the trench created by
the earthing up.
So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them
to work the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep
enough or if we might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without
moving the soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

I'm hopelessly an amateur on this, but mine grew to below the level of the
seed potato, as far down as the roots go. I ended up scooping out dirt with
my hands until such point as I found no more spuds.


Ian

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

On 16 Aug, 15:45, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench, eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

"harry" wrote in message
...
On 16 Aug, 15:45, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to
work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if
we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving
the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Two. Two things. The other is that the biggest/best spuds will get stabbed
by the fork or cut in two by the spade.

As for the OPs question, you start by digging a foot or more from the plant
and try to dig underneath the crop and lift them out. Experience will
rapidly tell you how deep to go. I prefer a fork rather than a spade because
the soil falls away as you lift and lets you see what you've got.

Steve

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

On 17 Aug, 07:58, "shazzbat"
wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...





On 16 Aug, 15:45, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up..

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to
work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if
we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving
the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. *But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Two. Two things. The other is that the biggest/best spuds will get stabbed
by the fork or cut in two by the spade.

As for the OPs question, you start by digging a foot or more from the plant
and try to dig underneath the crop and lift them out. Experience will
rapidly tell you how deep to go. I prefer a fork rather than a spade because
the soil falls away as you lift and lets you see what you've got.

Steve- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yep. That's so too!

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

harry wrote in
:
..
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

I agree totally.
The tiniest of spuds you miss will send out huge tops(haulms?), I know cos
I always miss loads especially new potatoes.

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

"shazzbat" wrote ...

"harry" wrote
"David WE Roberts" wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the
seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting
level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to
work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if
we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving
the
soil away from the area.


It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Two. Two things. The other is that the biggest/best spuds will get stabbed
by the fork or cut in two by the spade.

As for the OPs question, you start by digging a foot or more from the
plant and try to dig underneath the crop and lift them out. Experience
will rapidly tell you how deep to go. I prefer a fork rather than a spade
because the soil falls away as you lift and lets you see what you've got.

It might fall away on your plot Steve but on ours you end up with a
hundredweight lump of soil stuck on your fork!

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

"shazzbat" a écrit dans le message de
...

"harry" wrote in message
...
On 16 Aug, 15:45, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the
seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting
level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to
work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if
we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving
the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Two. Two things. The other is that the biggest/best spuds will get stabbed
by the fork or cut in two by the spade.

Those who know use a two-tined fork.



As for the OPs question, you start by digging a foot or more from the
plant and try to dig underneath the crop and lift them out. Experience
will rapidly tell you how deep to go. I prefer a fork rather than a spade
because the soil falls away as you lift and lets you see what you've got.

Steve

Potatoes - how deep to dig?
 

On 17 Aug, 21:15, "Daddy Tadpole" wrote:
"shazzbat" a écrit dans le message ...







"harry" wrote in message
...
On 16 Aug, 15:45, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
There has been a lot of good information on when to lift potatoes.
However there isn't as much around on how to lift them.
Specifically, how deep to dig.

Do the new potatoes grow only at the same level or above that of the
seed
potato or do they also grow significantly lower?
Given that we dug a trench, planted the seed potatoes in the trench,
eathed
up level and then earthed up again to a slope the original planting
level
must be around the same depth as the trench created by the earthing up.

So do we have to go much deeper than that?
We've lifted a few (not a major yield but we are mainly growing them to
work
the allotment over) and I was wondering if we had dug deep enough or if
we
might have missed some.

It is quite difficult to dig deep in light friable soil without moving
the
soil away from the area.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It varies with the variety. On some the potatos appear close to the
stem, on some they grow all over and quite deep. *But not more than
nine or ten inches.
But one thing's guaranteed. You will miss a couple and they will
appear unexpectedly next year in an inconvenient place.

Two. Two things. The other is that the biggest/best spuds will get stabbed
by the fork or cut in two by the spade.

Those who know use a two-tined fork.





As for the OPs question, you start by digging a foot or more from the
plant and try to dig underneath the crop and lift them out. Experience
will rapidly tell you how deep to go. I prefer a fork rather than a spade
because the soil falls away as you lift and lets you see what you've got.