My mother has just won a large quantity of Scots. seed potatoes in a
local competition! She wants to start a veg patch and has a 5m x 1.5 m
area ( this is a lawn border which includes a 50cm strip of lawn).
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground so she can, later this
year, set up a raised bed.
Is this likely to work?? Any other suggestions appreciated.

On 28 Jan, 15:41, "covehithe" wrote:
My mother has just won a large quantity of Scots. seed potatoes in a
local competition! She wants to start a veg patch and has a 5m x 1.5 m
area ( this is a lawn border which includes a 50cm strip of lawn).
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground so she can, later this
year, set up a raised bed.
Is this likely to work??

Um. Possibly, but probably not. A lot depends on the soil, but in
any case the grass will be in competition for nutrients and water, so
the spuds will do less well than they might. Unless the soil is VERY
fertile , and you nip out a growing point late on, they are unlikely
to shade out the grass. I'd slice off the turf, and either compost it
or use it elsewhere. The remaining width might be suitable for
growing spuds depending on the history, but you will probably get a
better crop if you turn it over and work in some compost.

I suppose a lot also depends on what you expect from the crop.

covehithe wrote:
My mother has just won a large quantity of Scots. seed potatoes in a
local competition! She wants to start a veg patch and has a 5m x 1.5 m
area ( this is a lawn border which includes a 50cm strip of lawn).
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground so she can, later this
year, set up a raised bed.
Is this likely to work?? Any other suggestions appreciated.

Potatoes don't clear the ground, you have to dig to plant them, dig to
hill them up and dig the final crop. Its the three diggings that clear
the ground.

On 28 Jan, 17:18, PB wrote:
covehithe wrote:
My mother has just won a large quantity of Scots. seed potatoes in a
local competition! She wants to start a veg patch and has a 5m x 1.5 m
area ( this is a lawn border which includes a 50cm strip of lawn).
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground so she can, later this
year, set up a raised bed.
Is this likely to work?? Any other suggestions appreciated.

Potatoes don't clear the ground, you have to dig to plant them, dig to
hill them up and dig the final crop. Its the three diggings that clear
the ground.

Indeed. It's a very strange question though. It feels that there's a
few different ideas and outcomes in there!

First, the idea to clear the ground is interesting. I suspect this is
something to do with perhaps 'fertilising' the soil with say green
manure, and the idea that potatoes could just be the thing because we
do say that potatoes are good as a first crop to 'clear' the ground.
Potatoes will work if the soil has been manured, if the worms are
doing their stuff, if the spuds are being hilled properly and that
you're lucky with no diseases and pests. Second it's the idea of
having a raised bed afterwards. Why grow potatoes to put a raised bed
afterwards? If there's no digging it will not increase the soil
drainage. Could there be an idea of 'fertilising' again there? Third
the idea of growing spud without digging is a valid one. Yes, you can
'place' your spuds straight on the ground but you need organic manure
and you need serious constistant mulching. The no dig system requires
preparation, not just putting spud on a lawn, unfortunately. And
lastly, why use beautiful potatoes seeds to achieve something else?
Aren't your mother interested in growing her first crop the best way
and then reaping the benefits of a fantastic soil and tasty spuds?

On Jan 30, 1:33�pm, "La Puce" wrote:
On 28 Jan, 17:18, PB wrote:

covehithe wrote:
[...]
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground [...]

Potatoes don't clear the ground, you have to dig to plant them, dig to

hill them up and dig the final crop. *Its the three diggings that clear
the ground.Indeed. It's a very strange question though. It feels that there's a
few different ideas and outcomes in there!

First, the idea to clear the ground is interesting. I suspect this is
something to do with perhaps 'fertilising' the soil with say green
manure, and the idea that potatoes could just be the thing because we
do say that potatoes are good as a first crop to 'clear' the ground.
[...]

This whole question arises because British gardening and farming
books, no doubt sometimes uncritically copying one another, always
used to say "potatoes are a good clearing crop". This phrase entered
people's consciousness _without_ the rest of the chapter. It doesn't
mean potatoes are good at clearing: it means they're good crop to grow
if _you're_ clearing a plot.

As other responders have said, potatoes don't do the clearing
themselves: it's just that all the work you have to do to give the
spuds a good start, plus earthing up, plus the digging you have to do
to harvest them, prepares the ground well for subsequent rotations.
What potatoes will do, if and _only_ if, the cultivation has been
conscientious before and during their growth, is to some extent shade
out some later germinating weeds; but this is a pretty insignificant
effect.

Sticking potato sets in a lawn would be a complete waste of time and
effort. There are no short cuts in gardening. Well, you can take
"short cuts", but they end up being longer than the direct route.

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
On Jan 30, 1:33?pm, "La Puce" wrote:
On 28 Jan, 17:18, PB wrote:
covehithe wrote:
[...]
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in
the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground [...]

Potatoes don't clear the ground, you have to dig to plant them,
dig to

hill them up and dig the final crop. Its the three diggings that
clear
the ground.Indeed. It's a very strange question though. It feels
that there's a
few different ideas and outcomes in there!

First, the idea to clear the ground is interesting. I suspect this
is
something to do with perhaps 'fertilising' the soil with say green
manure, and the idea that potatoes could just be the thing because
we
do say that potatoes are good as a first crop to 'clear' the
ground.
[...]

This whole question arises because British gardening and farming
books, no doubt sometimes uncritically copying one another, always
used to say "potatoes are a good clearing crop". This phrase entered
people's consciousness _without_ the rest of the chapter. It doesn't
mean potatoes are good at clearing: it means they're good crop to
grow
if _you're_ clearing a plot.

As other responders have said, potatoes don't do the clearing
themselves: it's just that all the work you have to do to give the
spuds a good start, plus earthing up, plus the digging you have to
do
to harvest them, prepares the ground well for subsequent rotations.
What potatoes will do, if and _only_ if, the cultivation has been
conscientious before and during their growth, is to some extent
shade
out some later germinating weeds; but this is a pretty insignificant
effect.

Sticking potato sets in a lawn would be a complete waste of time and
effort. There are no short cuts in gardening. Well, you can take
"short cuts", but they end up being longer than the direct route.

Potatoes can be grown very successfully on a lawn provided they are
well covered with hay and that has fertiliser added and the hay is
kept well watered and the hay level is kept topped up as the pototoes
emerge and as the hay collapses back on itself.

We now always grow our spuds this way as I always have spoiled hay
around. It's a good and very easy way of ending up with an enriched
bed for another crop in the next year's rotation.

On 30 Jan, 14:33, "Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:
Potatoes can be grown very successfully on a lawn provided they are
well covered with hay and that has fertiliser added and the hay is
kept well watered and the hay level is kept topped up as the pototoes
emerge and as the hay collapses back on itself.
We now always grow our spuds this way as I always have spoiled hay
around. It's a good and very easy way of ending up with an enriched
bed for another crop in the next year's rotation.

The OP's mother would require 15 cubic feet (10cm) of manure to
successfully grow its spuds in the no dig method - plus the continuous
add ons of mulch, and more importantly the thousands of little workers
which is required and which we call worms. Without these there's no
chance of a successful crop. The only chance there is is if the lawn
has been previously cultivated and put to lawn recently and more to
the point entirely organic which promote a healthy worm population.
The potatoes will not be able to penetrate a thick layer of lawn roots
and weeds.

On 30 Jan, 14:18, "Mike Lyle" wrote:
This whole question arises because British gardening and farming
books, no doubt sometimes uncritically copying one another, always
used to say "potatoes are a good clearing crop". This phrase entered
people's consciousness _without_ the rest of the chapter. It doesn't
mean potatoes are good at clearing: it means they're good crop to grow
if _you're_ clearing a plot.

I agree, although I have also understood that they are good at
breaking the disease cycle of other (native) crops. Being an alien
species they have different pests, and can thus help prevent year-on-
year accumulation of pests of whatever used to be grown. Part of one
of the 19th century crop rotations.

There is no doubt, though, that the cultivation of the potatoes is
what does the actual work.