No dig potatoes

[hamsterqueen]

Has anyone tried this method, where you lay the seed potatoes on a layer of newspaper/cardboard etc . Then cover with a mulch?

I would like to try it as I have afew maincrop seed potatoes left. Most of teh articles I have read say to cover them with hay or straw, I was thinking of using garden compost too.

Any ideas/tips?

[rustylady]

Can't see it working!! Where are the roots going to go? They need to get down into the soil, both to anchor the plants and to obtain the water and nutrients that the plants will need to grow to maturity. You can certainly mulch with hay, straw or compost, but planting on cardboard - I don't think so.

[Flummery]

You could lie them on the soil surface then cover with mulch. That would work. To my mind, spuds grown in pots are 'no dig' too!

[hamsterqueen]

Thanks, I've decide to go ahead and try anyway, nothing to lose!

I;ve got some in planters which are doing well.
Going to "plant them" on the surface under weed fabric, then cover with the grass clippings as they grow. I'll let you know how it goes.

[armadillo]

Hi, my potatoes (pink fir apple) have been growing at a scary rate (several inches a day!), so my intent to use compost and manure is not looking good, given the price of the stuff!

I've heard of using straw - can I use straw only, or would it need to be mixed with earth? How about bark chips?

Advice would be much appreciated!

[Digger-07]

I've heard of putting them in slits in the cardboard then under mulch but never on top of cardboard. Would like to know the result tho'.

[hamsterqueen]

I have read about using straw, not sure where to get it from other than pet store!

[hamsterqueen]

This was the original article I read

No-Dig Potatoes


Have just planted them using a combination of diferent ideas.

I dug in plenty of compost and watered the area. Then covered it with a double layer of black weed suppressant fabric (I thought this would allow water through better than plastic) Cut 3 crosses 15" apart and planted a tuber 6" deep under each.

Am going to cover it with a layer of mulch, The theory is that the potatoes should grow along the surface rather than through the ground (according to RHS book).


Will let you know how the experiment goes. I used 2 Arran Pilot and 1 Rooster

[Becca]

mine are on top of cardboard.. but under 6inch of soil + compost.. the reason for this eccentric arrangement is that the patch was thick with nettles and I knew I would never get it dug in time to get them in.. was bloody hard work shifting the soil/ compost tho so not exactly 'no dig' but they seem happy enough with it so far romping away and due to be earthed up... :O)

[chuffa]

Hi Hamsterqueen, this year i have grown my first early and main crop spuds on a no dig method. The method i got from the book: Grow Organic Cook Organic, by Christine & Michael Lavelle and Ysanne Spevack. Not cardboard but 4" of compost, then put the spuds on this. Cover with straw then another4" of compost then more straw. I think we have seen the last of the frost but if it is forecast, Cover the sprouting tubers with more straw.

[The Doctor]

I have read about using straw, not sure where to get it from other than pet store!

You could try anyone who keeps horses, since they often use it for bedding, and it's cheaper than hay, which they use for feed.

A work friend's girlfriend works in a stables and she managed to get me 4 large farm size bails for a pound each! Bargain!

I was banking on using one bail per potato bed, but since it's compressed as its bailed, so far I've only used one!

[kentvegplot]

Last year I experimented with no-dig - it was a brilliant success! Great crop, easy to harvest (just lift up the mulch and pull a spud off). The instructions I used are on the garden organic web site.

Doing it again this year on a larger scale. BTW don't worry if the shoots seem to take longer to come through the straw than you might expect - they often start rather slowly if they go on to cold soil.

Here's the link Garden Organic - No Dig Method