Glad I found this. Thank you.for making these videis..I am going to do this as seems time and effort saving ..do you take up the plastic and plant a crop after..if so what... Done hope not to early as these were main crop
I have tried to encourage people to grow like this as A its a great way to keep weeds down and B the potatoes come out clean. I know the plastic thing bothers some but I have been using this same piece for about 6 years now and it will last another 6 at least.
@@jabulanimzimela2432 Hi, thank you for your question. As I am in the UK the ground is usually moist / wet in the spring at planting and the rain will run into the slits. The only year in recent memory that I had to water was in 2018 when we had a very dry spring and I planted into dry compost. I had to water twice weekly through the slits for about a month until the rains came.
Hi, I am actually ready to put my potatoes under a plastic sheet this year. I am just concerned about how to put them in. Do you make holes and pop them in? Then how would you cover them?Also did you get slugs under the plastic? Thanks in advance
Hi Tanju, if you are growing earlies, make cross slits about 15 inches apart, maybe 18 inches for second earlies. The slits only need to be wide enough for your fist to push the potatoes into the top layer of soil/compost so that the top of the potato is about 2 inches, 5cm below the top of the soil/compost. Thats it! You don't need to cover the slits, the shoots will come through and the leaves will make a canopy. I see one or two slugs but nothing to worry about. No more than if they were being earthed up. Just make sure that the ground around is not a slug trap, so no rubbish, old timber etc. Good luck!
Hi Steve, in the UK straw would be a slug hotel although it may work in drier climates. My only concern with porous membrane is the chance of some light getting through, which will make the potatoes green an inedible. You could try it with a double thickness but I find plastic has worked well for me for many years.
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Thanks for sharing your experience I'm growing under plastic sheets first time this year hope it's go well nd less weed to clean
Sorry I just found the video where you show how to sow the potatoes. under the plastic. Thanks again
Welcome Tanju, good luck with your growing.
Glad I found this. Thank you.for making these videis..I am going to do this as seems time and effort saving ..do you take up the plastic and plant a crop after..if so what... Done hope not to early as these were main crop
You seem to be one of few people growing potatoes under plastic. At first it seems like a good idea but i wonder why more people arent doing it
I have tried to encourage people to grow like this as A its a great way to keep weeds down and B the potatoes come out clean. I know the plastic thing bothers some but I have been using this same piece for about 6 years now and it will last another 6 at least.
@@unowen4387 Indeed. I think in time using plastic is another Ruth Stout moment. But lets see.
Please advise how the watering is carried out with the plants covered like this. And the frequency?
@@jabulanimzimela2432 Hi, thank you for your question. As I am in the UK the ground is usually moist / wet in the spring at planting and the rain will run into the slits. The only year in recent memory that I had to water was in 2018 when we had a very dry spring and I planted into dry compost. I had to water twice weekly through the slits for about a month until the rains came.
@@unowen4387 Thanks for the response. I am in South Africa and we do have rainy summers on our coast. Will definitely give it a try.
Hi, I am actually ready to put my potatoes under a plastic sheet this year. I am just concerned about how to put them in. Do you make holes and pop them in? Then how would you cover them?Also did you get slugs under the plastic? Thanks in advance
Hi Tanju, if you are growing earlies, make cross slits about 15 inches apart, maybe 18 inches for second earlies. The slits only need to be wide enough for your fist to push the potatoes into the top layer of soil/compost so that the top of the potato is about 2 inches, 5cm below the top of the soil/compost. Thats it! You don't need to cover the slits, the shoots will come through and the leaves will make a canopy. I see one or two slugs but nothing to worry about. No more than if they were being earthed up. Just make sure that the ground around is not a slug trap, so no rubbish, old timber etc. Good luck!
@@unowen4387 thanks very much. I hope I get it right.
Hi I’m thinking of giving this a try but with porous weed membrane or straw .do you have problems with slugs growing this way ??
Hi Steve, in the UK straw would be a slug hotel although it may work in drier climates. My only concern with porous membrane is the chance of some light getting through, which will make the potatoes green an inedible. You could try it with a double thickness but I find plastic has worked well for me for many years.