Potato question-last one honest

[krazy_krok]

Right i've got a plan. I've removed most of the surface weeds and mulched with manure. Now i am planning to plant my potatoes then cover with weed membrane, which should hopefully kill off the rest of the coach grass.

Will they still be able to grow with the light blocked out, so i can cut a hole for the foliage when it comes through?
Obviosly i won't be able to earth up-will they still grow ok?
Should i cover the foliage with fleece to protect from frosts because i cant earth up?
Anything else i can do to improve the crop?

Thanx for your advice people,

KK

[teakdesk]

It should be fine - I've grown potatoes this way many times !!

I used thin black plastic (double bin bag thickness) to cover them. I do "earth up" a bit beforehand and plant the tubers a bit deeper at 6 to 8 inches though.

When I can see/feel top growth I cut a small cross and pull the growth through.

Good luck!!


EDIT - I water copiously through the hole as well as soaking the trough created by my "eathing up".

[di]

KK,I don't know how bad your couch grass is,but all I can say is that one year we lost most of our spuds as each one had a couch grass shoot growing through it.
I could well be wrong(I often am),but I don't think I'd trust the membrane to stop grass shoots from growing underground?We've covered lots of areas on our new plot & although it's doing an O.K job of weakening/killing the topgrowth,as soon as we turn the soil there's a spaghetti junction of roots.
Have you forked out as many as you can?

[krazy_krok]

Don't think i've taken the deep roots out just to a trowels depth, got me thinking now, i am best making mounds of straw and manure on top of cardboard and then covering that with membrane? Had thought to do this 1st but seemed alot of hassle but if it would save me tatties then its for the best. I thought if i block the light the coach grass would stop growing

[womble]

It's a nightmare couch grass, you need to dig it out properly, I thought you already had tbh.
I too have a harvest ruined by loads of couch grass roots growing through the potatoes.

[krazy_krok]

Let the potato trials begin. Think i'm gonna try 3 ways and compare results that way i'll definatly get a crop of some sort.
1. In bottomless bins on membrane and keep earthing up with whatever's available, soil, manure, Multi purpose compost.
2. Straight into the manure mulch and cover with membrane cutting holes as foliage appears.
3. Cardboard with a pile of manure, plant the tatties and then cover with membrane