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Planting Potatoes

• Message 1. 

  Posted by chris (U14479141) on Wednesday, 29th February 2012

  Please could someone help me,my veg plot is not very big and want to grow potatoes but do not want to mound them,is it possible to plant them deeper than the recommended depth I/E 6-8", kind regards Chris

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Palaisglide (U3102587) on Wednesday, 29th February 2012

  Chris, The new potato's grow on the Haum or stem that grows up from the seed potato. As the stem or haum grow so the potato's grow a little further up which is why we earth them up.
  Potato's have to be kept from the light other wise they go green and you get ptomain poisoning.
  It is possible to cover them with black plastic although it makes them dificult to water properly and I would not advise it.
  You plant them in drills or narrow trenches and as the foliage grows earth them up to keep the light out.
  If you are short of room and wish to grow them I would use sacks or containers that can not only be earthed up but also covered on a frosty night with fleece or plastic, I have done this and it works even had new potato's at Christmas one year.
  Sorry but earthing is a must.
  Frank.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Wednesday, 29th February 2012

  Ptomain poisoning is not exactly correct; it is an old fashioned word for food poisoning and not usually used now, but the principle is correct.
  
  The green is a concentration of glycoalkaloids and they are poisonous in large amounts. They are also bitter.
  
  I agree, growing in containers may be the way to go. Ensure you choose an early potato and go for something slightly unusual. Do not bother with the varieties you can get easily in the supermarket. There are many better flavoured potatoes around.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by Palaisglide (U3102587) on Wednesday, 29th February 2012

  Barragwenith, you got it in one, that is me an old fashioned old lad who still says Larkspur lambs tongue and Wood lily, Trillium may have something to say about that.
  When we scoured the patch for the pig potato's we still threw out the ones with green on them we knew it was ptomain and that was all we needed to know, fancy explanations would have meant nothing to us, ptomain did.
  My thoughts are we tend to over egg everything, when my Father said Wood Lily I thought that was its correct name it was only years later I heard Trillium, we knew what Larkspur and pinks were and my Aunt Mabel would take me into the hedge backs and woods collecting herbs and things for her medicine cupboard on the Farm, no rushing ambulances with bells and lights then it would be more put the body on the rulley or hand cart and a long trot to the town hospital, she knew the name of everything we picked and its uses, how many can do that now.
  Potato's need to be earthed up to stop light getting to them and spoiling them as well as giving you tummy ache although I suppose that would now be called Gastritus, oh well, as long as we know what we mean.
  frank.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Inajam (U14850695) on Wednesday, 29th February 2012

  There is also research which points to the consumption of green potatoes during pregnancy causing spina bifida in the foetus.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Thursday, 1st March 2012

  Hi Chris, I have grown my "tatties" in big blue Ikea bags very successfully. Plop them in the bottom on an inch of compost and just keep adding to keep the foliage covered to prevent frost damaging them. At the end of the growing season, I just tip the whole lot on a tarp, dig out the treasure and use the compost for winter salads/brassicas/potting up spring bulbs or conditioning some soil.
  
  Works great and no backaching digging. No green spuds either

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by chris (U14479141) on Friday, 2nd March 2012

  A big thank you to each,i would readily use bags BUT again it would mean space,how high does the mounding up have to be,i could use bags of compost but it comes down to cost,kind regards Chris

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• Message 8

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  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Friday, 2nd March 2012

  After the threat of frost has passed and the foliage can be exposed, just add more compost to just below the foliage, as the potatoes are formed up the lower stems.

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