Author Topic: last yrs potatoes suddenly growing... (Read 4234 times)

plumseverywhere · « **on:** April 21, 2011, 05:54:27 pm »

not sure what to do! last year i planted potatoes in 2 segments of my 8 segment veggie patch. i thought I had dug them all up but all of a sudden I have new shoots coming up out of the ground (Proper leafy ones) I know I'm not meant to grow spuds in the same earth 2 years running so my questions are a) will these grow and be OK as they were planted in there last year and b) what shall I do if not? ie. shall i dig them out and bin them now?

thanks in advance!
Lisa

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2011, 06:35:57 pm »

Yes. The new shoots are just a helpful sign to show you where they are

Mostly they wouldn't produce a decent crop anyway, not being properly spaced or manured or at the right depth. It's far better just to clear the bed, throw them out and plant your new chitted seeds in a new bed. You may find more volunteers pop up over the next few weeks, but just be heartless and haul them out.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2011, 09:23:38 pm »

Thank you FW - that's brilliant

I want to use that patch for runner beans this year so will bung the spuds each time they appear now!

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:41:46 am »

tattieseverywhere

I dig em up and replant at the end of the potato plot. Got used to it! I still find some where I grew tatties 5 years ago

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2011, 06:02:29 pm »

Quote from: northfifeduckling on April 22, 2011, 11:41:46 am

tattieseverywhere

LOL love it!! yep, they's still spring up everywhere - bonkers it is!! that'll teach me to dig more carefully this year, ironic thing was I was really upset when we ran out of our own spuds last year, looks like we actually hadn't

Hermit · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2011, 06:58:20 pm »

I got a better crop from my strays than I did from the nurtured ones!

ellied · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2011, 07:44:24 am »

That's why I'm trying bags, so I get the lot when and where I want them

I still find an odd straggler from a bed last used for spuds about 4 years back

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2011, 08:23:57 am »

mine never did well in bags and putting them into newly dug soil helps with breaking it up. I couldn't plant anything else first in our heavy soil.

Frieslandfilly · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2011, 07:16:00 pm »

Self setters is what we call them, wait till you have a good bit of foliage then transplant them lifting as much earth as possible with it, should get a small crop from them and in the right place!!

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2011, 08:04:25 pm »

Quote from: Frieslandfilly on May 07, 2011, 07:16:00 pm

Self setters is what we call them, wait till you have a good bit of foliage then transplant them lifting as much earth as possible with it, should get a small crop from them and in the right place!!

Brilliant! thank you. will start to do that tomorrow - already very leafy and I cannot believe how many there are popping up

Blonde · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2011, 05:33:33 am »

Quote from: plumseverywhere on April 21, 2011, 05:54:27 pm

not sure what to do! last year i planted potatoes in 2 segments of my 8 segment veggie patch. i thought I had dug them all up but all of a sudden I have new shoots coming up out of the ground (Proper leafy ones) I know I'm not meant to grow spuds in the same earth 2 years running so my questions are a) will these grow and be OK as they were planted in there last year and b) what shall I do if not? ie. shall i dig them out and bin them now?

thanks in advance!
Lisa

Dig them up and shift them or dig them up and give to a friend to plant.