When should I earth up potatoes?

I put in my first earlies at the start of the month and some of the leaves have reached the surface. How high should the shoots be before I need to do anything about it?

 

Hi Mrs Bobs, usually when they are about 6 inches high, however if there is a frost forecast you can cover them with soil now to protect the leaves.

 

Many thanks Blackthorn. I'm currently using a piece of carpet to cover them at night and roll it back in the mornings. That seems to be working as they aren't that big yet.

 

Mrs Bobs,We just keep pulling the soil up over the tips until the mound is quite tall,then if there are any late frosts they won't get tipped and it helps to produce a good crop

 

If, like me, you're growing through holes in black plastic, Is it correct that earthing up is not required ?

 

Hi Oktraine.I am not sure about that one as I have never grown mine that way but thinking about it it would be impossible to do anyway.From what I have seen on the TV the foliage just grows above the plastic until harvest time.If a frost is forecast I assume you cover all the foliage with fleece.

I have also heard that keel slugs love to hide under the plastic so when you harvest the spuds they may have done some damage to them

 

Thanks shiney,

Just what I wanted to hear.

It's my first effort at growing spuds, so have adopted this method for my 1st & 2nd earlies.

I'm tempted to grow my maincrop in the traditional way, so I can compare methods.

I'll keep you all posted via my blog. Have you checked it out yet ?

 

Hi all,i've got 4 sacks (old compost bags turned inside out) in the greenhouse with earlies in, when do i bring them out.
As i'm a total novice i could do with your help.

 

Down in Surrey you could bring them out now (I'm assuming that top growth is showing). If frost is forecast you should cover the bags with something to keep the frost off.

 

Thanks a lot Dave W will do as you suggest.

 

Just to let you know, the 1st and 2nd earlies i planted 10 days ago are sprouting through the plastic sheet.

I'll put pics on my blog on sunday.