Covering potatoes with straw?

CarolinaGirl 2/19/2014, 9:40 pm

I've got my potato bags ready. I usually use compost to add on top, but this year I'm thinking of using straw, originally planting seed potatoes in MM The covering all growth after that using straw. It will be easier to dig through and I also won't have 4 bags of potato dirt to find a home for once I empty them lol. I can also throw the straw in my new compost barrel or use it as mulch cover to overwinter the garden beds. Does anyone do this regularly? How is the yeild? My seed potatoes should arrive sometime next week and should be good to go out into the garden bags shortly after that.

R&R 1011 2/24/2014, 12:53 pm

I just saw an article in Urban Farm that had a lazy method of planting. They cover with a thick layer of mulch, can be straw, (12-18" deep) once the potatoes have sprouted. They said to make sure your potatoes stay covered.

Cant attest to how well they grow. This will be my first year growing potatoes, but this is the method I want to try.

boffer 2/24/2014, 2:29 pm

Mulching/hilling with compost, MM, or dirt is too much work for this lazy gardener.

I mulched taters in a 12 inch box with straw, and compared it to taters in a six inch box with no mulching or hilling. (seen in left front) They produced about the same. The shallow box had a few more green taters.

Potatoes - Covering potatoes with straw? 100_2110

Potatoes - Covering potatoes with straw? 100_2110

Last year, I mulched with wood chips, and I liked them.

But mulching with black plastic is my favorite. Lay down the plastic; cut an X in the plastic; stick in the seed potato; done for the season other than watering.

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Covering potatoes with straw?

Covering potatoes with straw?

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