Growing potatoes in grass clippings

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I came across this idea a year or two ago. Instead of earthing up potato plants in the usual way, dragging earth up around them as they grow, I found the suggestion that they could be grown in hay instead, or in grass clippings. So I decided to give it a try last year. Instead of digging holes to plant the chitted seed potatoes, you just lay them on top of the prepared bed and cover with a thinnish layer of grass clippings. Not too thick, or the clippings will form a thick slimy mat. Then as the potato plants grow through, you top up by sprinkling more clippings on every now and then. Not too much at a time, but enough that any developing tubers are protected from light. The clippings act as a mulch to keep in moisture, and they also generate some warmth which helps the potatoes grow. Then as the season progresses the clippings start to rot down so that you end up with a sort of powdery covering, almost like pipe tobacco. When harvest time comes, you can check that the potatoes are ready by simply brushing away some of the clippings with your hand to have a look – if not quite ready yet, just cover them up again. If they are ready, just brush away all the clippings and pick the potatoes up. So easy, clean and there’s no risk of those horrible moments when you are digging potatoes with a fork and you can feel that one of the times has gone through a potato And at the end of the season the ground has already gained some extra compost and the mulch has suppressed any weeds. The only downside I’ve found so far is that at the start, before the plants start to grow, they can be disturbed by birds scratching around in the clippings and so don’t get a chance to root! To avoid this just cover the patch over with a bit of mesh until the plants get going. Has anyone else tried this method? All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2023.