No-dig potatoes

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
Rosesandtea

No-dig potatoes

Post by Rosesandtea »

An online friend told me today how she grows potatoes. She simply places them on rough ground (dirt, not concrete) and then covers them with compost, leaves, regular dirt, etc. She says she gets a good crop that way. She tries to garden in a way that works with the land she has, instead of trying to change it all (although she does have some beds).

I had some seed potatoes I bougth half-price, and didn't know what I would do with them as time was getting on and I couldn't figure out where to put them. I finally decided on a little corner I wasn't goign to plant up this year due to the puppy. But I thought I would give this method a shot. If I didn't do something they'd just go to waste. I could put them in pots or sacks, but I really wanted to give this method a try.

Here are my potatoes on the ground:
Image

Beginning to cover them:
Image

All covered:
Image

Yes, they are not the most interesting photos and yes I have a lot of weeding/clearing to do. But....I am thinking this might be a good way to do some guerilla gardening, or just non-attention getting gardening at some point. Worth a try, anyway, no?
preppingsu

Re: No-dig potatoes

Post by preppingsu »

keep us updated with the progress on that please R&T.

Will you pile more dirt/leaves etc as the plants grow to stop the potatoes showing through?
Rosesandtea

Re: No-dig potatoes

Post by Rosesandtea »

preppingsu wrote:keep us updated with the progress on that please R&T.

Will you pile more dirt/leaves etc as the plants grow to stop the potatoes showing through?
.

I hope I can update the thread in a few weeks. Yes, I plan on putting more stuff on top as they grow.
jansman
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: No-dig potatoes

Post by jansman »

It WILL work. Its a method I have used for many years. In particular with my "hidden gardens" out and about in the local countryside.
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diamond lil
Posts: 9960
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:42 pm
Location: Scotland.

Re: No-dig potatoes

Post by diamond lil »

Potatoes are stronger than weeds - its a good old fashioned way of clearing ground. ;)
bulldogeagle

Re: No-dig potatoes

Post by bulldogeagle »

for many years now i have grown spuds in tyres-3 high, it saves all that earthing up, just cover the spuds with earth, compost or growbags, the rubber on the tyres retains the heat and i've never had any problem with blight.