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No Dig potatoes

al · 2019-08-04T13:17:44+00:00

Hi everyone I have harvested Charlotte potatoes last week with a pleasing harvest and very few green potatoes growing above ground. All my potatoes were planted in surface compost on my no dig beds but half my King Edwards (sown 14/4) are growing partially above ground. I did not earth them up but Charles seems to find this unnecessary as I understand it The king Ed's plants are dying down too (see pic)- so I started harvesting half the bed today but many of the spuds are small as well as many being green so I have earthed the other half up and was planning to leave them another couple of weeks. 3 q's Does this foliage look upto developiing the tubers a bit more if I leave them in a while? Can I use green potatoes as seed next year Are there some varieties (and is King Ed's one) which tend to grow more superficially and may therefore benefit from earthing up? Thanks for any pointers Alastair

Asked by al 4 August 2019 2 replies in Sowing and Growing

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al 4 August 2019 #70653

Hi everyone
I have harvested Charlotte potatoes last week with a pleasing harvest and very few green potatoes growing above ground. All my potatoes were planted in surface compost on my no dig beds but half my King Edwards (sown 14/4) are growing partially above ground.
I did not earth them up but Charles seems to find this unnecessary as I understand it

The king Ed’s plants are dying down too (see pic)- so I started harvesting half the bed today but many of the spuds are small as well as many being green so I have earthed the other half up and was planning to leave them another couple of weeks.

3 q’s
Does this foliage look upto developiing the tubers a bit more if I leave them in a while?
Can I use green potatoes as seed next year
Are there some varieties (and is King Ed’s one) which tend to grow more superficially and may therefore benefit from earthing up?
Thanks for any pointers
Alastair
Charles Dowding 9 August 2019 #70674

Al I am not agiaist earthing up, only advise against doing it unless you see green spuds.
So yes, add compost to those, they can still grow.
You can use green ones for seed.
Not sure which varieties push up most.
Mike Green 11 August 2019 #70682

I have exactly the same problem,also on King Eds, which I have never seen before – I suspect it may be something to do with the season. We have had very little rain here in the New Forest.
Hope you get some spuds!
Mike