Growing potatoes in mouldy straw

[LjTricky]

Hey all,

I have a pallet bin which is starting to get very full with soiled chicken bedding. Now I've seen quite a few articles and videos of people successfully growing tatties mulching up with straw. As expected a lot of my straw is beginning to break down and go mouldy and a lot more of it will by the time the growing season comes around.
Most of the articles show people growing their spuds in relatively new/clean straw and I've only seen one person say growing in mouldy/spoiled straw will cause no problems. Just looking for second opinions of anyone who's tried this before .

Merry Christmas!

- Lewis

[veggiechicken]

I need to know more - like what do you mean by "mouldy"?
Does it have mould on it or is it starting to break down into compost?
Is it used chicken bedding - that is mixed with chicken poo - or just straw?

[LjTricky]

I need to know more - like what do you mean by "mouldy"?
Does it have mould on it or is it starting to break down into compost?
Is it used chicken bedding - that is mixed with chicken poo - or just straw?

Hey veggiechicken, a bit of both, some of it is starting to break down and other parts have mould on. I noticed that the mould disappears pretty quickly when exposed to air after turning.
And yes my straw is mostly mixed with chicken poo.

[Snoop Puss]

How old is the chicken poo?

[LjTricky]

How old is the chicken poo?

About 6-9 months by the time I come to use it so should be well rotted.

[Snoop Puss]

Me, I'm a bit squeamish. If the chicken poo is only six months old, I probably wouldn't grow potatoes directly in it. I'd be more worried about pathogens in the poo than mould on the straw.

But I'm no expert. Have you found info elsewhere that supports your idea?

[Snadger]

I've grown tatties in what was claimed to be hoss muck but appeared to be hoss pee impregnated sawdust.

Worked very well and I had a good crop of clean tatties with no scab.

I imagine straw would give the same results.

[Snadger]

I have also used fresh chicken poo as a mulch before with no adverse effects.

[Snoop Puss]

^That's interesting, Snadger. Would you grow potatoes in 6-9-month-old chicken poo and straw?

[Snadger]

^That's interesting, Snadger. Would you grow potatoes in 6-9-month-old chicken poo and straw?

I would certainly give it a try! You can grow tomatoes in straw bales watered with strong liquid manure, so why not?

I personally would dig planting stations with a spades worth of soil taken out, tattie dropped in hole, hole filled with pooey straw and topped off with soil. That should give you a crop of nice clean tatties and add some long term organic matter to your soil.

[4Shoes]

Will also depend on the tatties. Some varieties more susceptible to scab than others. Seem to remember Kerrs Pinks and Golden Wonder were the 2 when I was on the farm. Many new varieties to choose from.