Planting spuds?

[funemnx]

Well, we've been planting spuds today - never done it before - fingers crossed!

We got the free ones in the post and had lots of fun getting mucky - most of the compost is on the patio!

Even if they don't grow we've had fun....

Any one else going to be planting this week?

[supermumy]

We got our free spuds to they on window sill chitting due to be out in soil this week
We done sunflower seeds, tomatoes seeds, lettuce and pepper seed this morning only thing is it is raining so did it inside lovely mess haha

[mrstom]

We planted ours this morning. Mindees weren't that bothered about helping but I'm going to do the second batch tomorrow when my DS is around. For some reason we were sent two boxes so we'll have four sacks of spuds (hopefully!)

[funemnx]

4 Sacks! That's fab!

[jillplum]

Mine came last week si I am going to put them on windowsill this week. Still got snow up here so dont think they should be outside yet lol

[miffy]

Only just started chatting ours.

Last year all the leaves got eaten by slugs but we still got quite a few potatoes so worth doing.

Children have always enjoyed digging them up the best!

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

I'm leaving mine until next week and see how the weather is. We have had terrible hail this week. I may start them off in the bottom of the green house, I got a new plastic cover for it last week. It would also protect them from all the rain until the weather improves a bit.

[bunyip]

Only just started chatting ours.

Last year all the leaves got eaten by slugs but we still got quite a few potatoes so worth doing.

Children have always enjoyed digging them up the best!

Miffy xx

I'm old-fashioned enough to still use slug pellets: a mixture of the conventional ones (that work best) and the so-called "organic" ones (that are less effective, but don't dissolve so quickly.)

If you're worried about using pellets around children, there are alternatives. I find the grit barriers to be 99% ineffective and the copper tapes 100% unaffordable.

The cheapest effective method I find is to place upturned grapefruit halves onto the soil (once you've eaten the flesh out.) Slugs are attracted to the middles of these and you can pick them off each morning, then think of interesting ways to dispose of them. Little piles of bran are good too, as the slugs gorge on the bran then have no tummy-space left for much else. Bran gets ruined by rain/watering, so you could stuff the grapefruit halves with the bran to keep the rain off an ensure the slugs stick around until you deal with them.

[*daisychain*]

Oh thank you for the slug information! Will give it a go