Ridges (Lazybeds) Vs. Drills

[JohnGalway 1,043]

So, continuing my quest of all things potato...

 

Last year I sowed all my spuds in drills. I was happy with the results, save for not leaving myself enough space to work between rows.

 

This year I had planned to sow everything in ridges.

.

 

Now, here's the hard part.

 

I have been told it's traditional to have three rows of spuds in a ridge, ten inches apart. On the seed spud bags the advice is for drills and says 24-30 inches apart for rows.

 

I would like to maximise my yield. I'm half tempted to sow half in ridges, half in drills and see which does better

 

Has anyone here used both methods and what if anything did ye find?

[Paid 935]

I prefer ridges, as i find it nice and easy to add compost and horse shit as i ridge up.

I also find i get more from ridges as you can get a better depth to the stems for the potatoes too grow off.

Also with ridges i get less slug damage as i use nematodes that are watered in, directly were you get the problems.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Yeah, actually depth in ridges was something I had been thinking of this very evening, but in relation to carrots.

 

What spacing and how many rows do you use in your ridges Paid? Interesting that you say you got more spuds.

[Paid 935]

I dont really measure them out, but i do 2 long rows in beds about 4 foot wide, makes it easy to ridge up from the sides.

If you plant in the bottom of trenches, then earth up with the trench soil, and compost, you have a lot more stem in the ground

by the time they are ridges, so more stem is under for the spuds to grow from.