Non mounding spud garden

[Medbury Gardens]

This is how i grow my potatos without having to mound up through the growing season, the left photo is the total area that is used on a four year rotation basis,

the closest part( left photo) is last years residual crop (green, and damaged) that were dug under and covered with horse manure and sawdust, this area will give us our early potatoes from about a months time till the main crop is ready.This area is then sewn down in prairie grass.

Second area is this years main crop (will cover this further down)

Third " is the growing area for the following season, i dig in compost while removing any left over potatoes from two years ago.

Last area in front of the tunnelhouse is at the moment in prairie grass.

Main Crop In the second from left photo i had dug in a third layer of compost, rows planted at 30cm apart and then covered with a final layer of horse manure, to stop weeds coming through.I then lay broom on top(third photo) to stop black birds from digging holes in that layer which greens the crop below.Right photo shows as of today the potatos growing up through this broom, no more work is now required till harvest.

I find this system of growing gives me very good yields,best plant last season 8 kg -20 pounds and can supply my family of five with about 95 % of our years potatoes off a small area

Richard

[Moonglow]

Thank you for the info. I will be planting my fingerlings this weekend and I need ideas that work .

[Medbury Gardens]

A photo update,some varieties are now starting to flower

[Moonglow]

Thank you for the update. I remember in the Philippines, backyard potatoes and yams were just allowed to creep on the ground.

[phicks48]

ever grow winter rye instead of praire grass?

[Medbury Gardens]

i've never seen winter rye seed for sale,unless it has a different name down our way,i'll make some inquires Paul

[LenaBeanNZ]

Thanks for sharing the info and pictures. I will try to grow a patch of potatoes this year. Any hints on how to prepare the bed and when to plant?

Lena

[Medbury Gardens]

You would be able to plant your main crop earlier than me,but i start 20 moie-moie in pots mid winter in the tunelhouse that are planted out end of Sep,i do have to cover the odd time when there is a frost.
I plant my main crop mid Nov and as i have written at the start of this thread i dug in horse and sawdust before winter so it is well rotted by the time of planting.
Are there Race horse stables around your area LB???

[LenaBeanNZ]

Yes there are a few. I know one place where I can get fresh horse "product" for $5 per sack, delivered. Another place its free but a long drive away, and mixed with a lot of sawdust. I got a trailer of it last spring but the sawdust dried the soil out too much, turned it into a hydrophobic disaster.

I read in a few places that manure is not good on potatoes, especially not if its fresh, because it causes scab. Why?

[Medbury Gardens]

yep i think it would cause scab if used fresh,that's why i spread mine out 4-5 months before planting.

i've found that a 50/50 mix of sawdust and house poo is ideal,to much sawdust and it does dry out the soil.If the sawdust level is too high a small amount of urea helps breaks down the excess carbon.

[LenaBeanNZ]

Thanks for the tips! Ill see what I can track down. Have just got some strawbales and heavily mulched everything for the winter. Sprinkling lawn clippings on top as they become available. In spring I just plant into whats left of it. Might experiment a bit with planting under straw too, some people say its great.

Ive read that potatoes will do quite well in poorer soil too, do you agree?

[LenaBeanNZ]

Hi Richard, how are you? Have you planted potatoes yet? I put an early row of Urenika down over the weekend, the others are well sprouted and look like they might like to be planted soon too. I planted them quite deep, under layers of straw and soil... not too deep I hope. How deep is too deep?

I have a few sacks of horse manure, but its very fresh. Would it be best to not use it in the potato rows? I have been burying it between-rows where I intend to plant tomatoes, corn, and beans. Hopefully it rots down enough by the time the roots find it.

[Medbury Gardens]

I'm good, too early for me to plant main crop yet,but do have some TPS out that needs to be covered the odd night.Have you grown Urenika before?i used to grow it years ago but didn't really like it,as for planting depth i think about 25cm is deep enough,the only thing you will have to mindful of is when using straw and compost is there a greater chance of getting scab with your higher rainfall.
Horse poo is not overly strong so you shouldn't have any problems

[LenaBeanNZ]

No this is my first year growing any potatoes, I never used to like them but now I do/am trying to like them. I have a bunch of other varieties I'm trying too. Kowiniwini, Pink Fir, Te Ngae, Wherowhero, Moie moie, and another that I cant think of right now.

Could I plant main crop soon? The tubers are well sprouted and starting to shrivel.

[Medbury Gardens]

If you are pass the frosts i would say yes, chuck them in,but not here for me yet as we had snow yesterday

Did you get the tubulars from Koanga?Look forward to seeing how Te Ngae turns out for ya,ive never grown that one