Potato ponderings

Having grown spuds for two years now I've decided this year I need less than I am growing, and more space for courgettes.

I'm going to divide my veg bed, currently in two, into fourso I'll have four rectangles measuring approx 1.5m by 3m.

That isn't a lot of space for earthing up rows. I wondered if I raised this bed by a few inches, it might allow me to start low and then just add more soil to the bed as they grow. Potato bags would be an alternative, but then I'd be wasting this ground and soil.

Could that work?

HMMM.... another thought.

I could use one quarter for a whole bed of cosmos, and grow potato bags elsewhere.

 

Or just put the soil from the trenches into bags, rather than waste the space, and then use that to earth up as you go ?

 

Yes Zig, that could work.

 

If space is tight and would interfere with neighbouring crops perhaps cut a "collar" from something and use that to hold the earthing-up? Compost bag probably too big for one plant, but something a bit narrower diameter might do. You'll still need something to put into it - soil would do, or home made compost. You're only looking to earth up by a foot, at the most, I would guess.

 

Yes Kristen, and I think it would be silly to go for two rows. I find weeding them when they are earthed up a total pain too!

I'll research the collar idea, with regards to what I could use.

 

I "earthed up" with wood chippings from a joinery workshop last year. No weeding and it insulated the spuds from the extreme cold. Dug them after the snow had gone & they were fine.