How much spuds

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

Just wondering how much seed potatoes would I need to plant an area 6m wide by 12m long. I have 10kg of second earlies and 12kg of maincrop chitting in my shed. Enough?

Michael196 · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

Caoimhin, you still have time for first earlies.

hard to visual based on weight, what you should do is place the seed out on the plot as per the planting instruction, e.g. foot apart in the row and 2 feet betwee rows or whatever the pcakage says,

this then allows you to see where to plant and whether you have enough or too much.

Liparis · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:47 am Post subject:

Approximately 2.5 Kg should do a 20' - 25' row. Depending of course on the size of your individual seed potato, I've noticed a tendancy for seed potatoes to be getting larger. I wonder if that's to get us to buy more to fill the rows? Confused

Bill.

breezyacre · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:59 am Post subject:

Hi Caoimhín. I will be planting an area about 6m x 3m approx and I expect to have more than enough in 11/2 stone. I use the measure of my foot between seed potatoes and the measure of three of my single footsteps between rows ie. one size 9 between seeds and three size 9s between rows.
HTH,
John

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

Thanks for your help everyone,
on the subject of size and laying them out on the plot I've noticed some are very small as in lost in an egg cup while some are twice the size of a large egg. Do I need to double up with the smaller seed and split the big seed? Might still get some first earlies if I have room. Gonna plant some the weekend hopefully.

Michael196 · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:42 pm Post subject:

Generally I wouldnt do that. The small sed is equally viable as the large seed.

Size dosnt matter here. ahem !!

Liparis · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

Or you could cut the large ones in two and dust the cut surfaces with powdered charcoal, cinnamon or Captan to prevent disease/fungus. Very common practice.
Bill.

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

Thanks will take that on board. Next question!! Sorry but this is a bit of a repeat of an earlier post of mine re spraying. I rotavated my plot sunday having sprayed on the 17th of March. It wasn't completely burned off so to speak but it was starting to turn and a rotavater available so I went ahead. I've raked out the rest of the scraw and its pretty clean and I have 2 beds for onion, carrot, turnip, cabbage and broccoli as well as the spuds. Is it still too soon to plant given I only sprayed it on the 17th. I wasn't expecting to be ready so soon but I'd like to get started with these fine evenings. Advice is much appreciated as I'd hate to mess up now given that I'm a month ahead of myself compared to last year.

James Kilkelly · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:33 pm Post subject:

What herbicide did you use to spray off your plot caoimhin?

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

Roundup.

medieval knievel · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:39 am Post subject:

tesco are selling accent seed potatoes, 25 for €3.99. got a bag this morning - they're a bit soft and slightly wrinkled, but i hope to get them into the ground over the weekend.

Liparis · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:45 am Post subject:

Sounds like the normal type of veg sold these days Laughing

Bill.

James Kilkelly · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:51 am Post subject:

Liparis · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

So ok to plant then?