The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: BML on October 20, 2011, 11:49:03 pm

Title: Potatoes V Frost?
Post by: BML on October 20, 2011, 11:49:03 pm

I have some potatoes that I planted a month or so ago which I thought would be ready for Christmas.  There is plenty of green foliage  which I have to say have not flowered but sufficient potatoes in a root to make it worth digging them up. 
However, we now have the frosts so I need to ask how long those potatoes in the ground will be safe to leave there?

Title: Re: Potatoes V Frost?
Post by: deepinthewoods on October 21, 2011, 12:10:41 am

i would cover them and keep them as warm as possible for as long as i could, until the haulms start to die, then id lift them.

Title: Re: Potatoes V Frost?
Post by: Blonde on October 21, 2011, 11:15:26 pm

Quote from: BML on October 20, 2011, 11:49:03 pm

I have some potatoes that I planted a month or so ago which I thought would be ready for Christmas.  There is plenty of green foliage  which I have to say have not flowered but sufficient potatoes in a root to make it worth digging them up. 
However, we now have the frosts so I need to ask how long those potatoes in the ground will be safe to leave there?

Cover with a hoop and put shade cloth on it.  this will stop the frost from reaching the potaotes.  i did this last winter and my sweet potoates came through winter just fine.  short of that a layer of paper between the hoop and the cloth will also do.

Title: Re: Potatoes V Frost?
Post by: Fleecewife on October 22, 2011, 01:16:35 am

I find that as long as you don't have too many slugs, just covering the plants with a layer of straw or something similar will keep the ground frost-free in all but the hardest frosts.  With frequent temps down to minus 18 or so last year, the top potatoes in our rows froze, but those deeper down were fine - without anything to protect them.