Potatoes grown in Grass Clippings?

[Runtpuppy]

We mowed our lawns the other day, and today I got grass clippings off our neighbour. I looked at the pile drying in the sun, and wondered... People are growing vegetables in bales of hay/straw. How feasible would it be to use dried grass clippings in the potato grow-bags instead of soil?

[nickdub]

I wouldm't use 100% clippings, maybe 40% and I'd put that at the bottom of the bags - BTW just be ware that no-one has used selective weedkiller on the lawns this year.

Good for growing spuds in the open ground too - if you can get them early enough.

[Runtpuppy]

I wouldm't use 100% clippings, maybe 40% and I'd put that at the bottom of the bags - BTW just be ware that no-one has used selective weedkiller on the lawns this year.

Good for growing spuds in the open ground too - if you can get them early enough.

No weedkillers used... I am more or less certain because we don't use any in our garden, and our neighbour doesn't either as far as I know. She has a massive bamboo infestation, so if she were, she'd definitely have used some there.

Why not 100% grass clippings (What are the disadvantages/ ill-effects)?

Also, would you recommend soil or compost (or a mix of the two) for the remaining 60%?

I might use a small grow-bag for this experiment ( I mean 100% grass) and see what happens.

[nickdub]

My experience with 100% grass clippings which are fresh is that its easy to convert them into a slimy mess, as they have a lot of moisture and tend to clump down excluding air. If you had a heap from last year which had already mostly rotted down, I'd have no hesitation in using that by itself.

PS I'd go 30/30 on compost and fresh garden loam if you have it, well rotted stable manure also gets top billing of course but can cause scab if over done. BTW if the bags are large enough it pays just to put a thin layer of your mix over the chitted spuds to start with, and then gradually add more through the season.

[Runtpuppy]

Ah ok, gotcha! I guess I'll use soil/compost with the grass this year.

Meanwhile, I'll start a grass pile for next year.

[Runtpuppy]

PS I'd go 30/30 on compost and fresh garden loam if you have it, well rotted stable manure also gets top billing of course but can cause scab if over done. BTW if the bags are large enough it pays just to put a thin layer of your mix over the chitted spuds to start with, and then gradually add more through the season.

I got a 3 bags of farmyard compost (2 for my beds and one for potatoes) yesterday. Then I remembered the scab issue, which is why I was exploring other options. Oh well, I'll have to spend some money, I guess :P

Thanks!

[nickdub]

You're very welcome - happy gardening :-)

[Snadger]

I would be worried about the heat generated as the grass composts?It would save you boiling your tatties though!

[Runtpuppy]

I would be worried about the heat generated as the grass composts?It would save you boiling your tatties though!

Now I just need to find a way to commercialise that! :P

But seriously, I didn't think I'd have the critical mass for that to start happening. Plus, like I said, people seem to be successfully doing it with bales of straw. I guess, like Nick says, grass is more likely to clump than straw.

I was rather hoping that drying it well would take care of that issue.

[Small pumpkin]

Spuds are grown in spud bags. About a third full of rotted manure and home made compost. Once they start growing I use grass clippings to ridge up. Till the bag is full.
I've used it for ridging up spuds in raised beds as well.
I've not had any problems.

[Runtpuppy]

Spuds are grown in spud bags. About a third full of rotted manure and home made compost. Once they start growing I use grass clippings to ridge up. Till the bag is full.
I've used it for ridging up spuds in raised beds as well.
I've not had any problems.

Oh, thank you! That's good to know! Do you dry out the grass first or use it freshly-cut/recently-cut?

[Small pumpkin]

Oh, thank you! That's good to know! Do you dry out the grass first or use it freshly-cut/recently-cut?

Straight out of the lawnmower collection box.

[Runtpuppy]

Straight out of the lawnmower collection box.

Oh cool. I might give it a go, then.

Another question that popped into my mind while obsessing over this issue... what if I layered the grass clippings with bark chips? They should keep some ventilation happening, and once I've harvested the potatoes (if I manage to grow any), I can just dump the entire sorry mess into the compost bin.

Feasible?

[nickdub]

I'd keep the bark separate if I were you - its very good for acid loving things like blueberries or azaleas but slow to break down, you could mix it together with fallen leaves in the Autumn.
Grass clippings are a good mulch for things like raspberries and can also just be added to the compost heap mixed with some torn up newspaper or cardboard to keep them open to the air.

[Runtpuppy]

I'd keep the bark separate if I were you - its very good for acid loving things like blueberries or azaleas but slow to break down, you could mix it together with fallen leaves in the Autumn.
Grass clippings are a good mulch for things like raspberries and can also just be added to the compost heap mixed with some torn up newspaper or cardboard to keep them open to the air.

Got it. Thanks! :-)