Lazy potatoes

A few years ago I read an article in a gardening magazine  about No Dig Potatoes. This year I am going to try it myself and try and keep a record of how they grow and size of yield. I started 05-Feb by just raking level part of my plot approx 11ft. x 14ft. The next step was to lay 4 rows of compost about 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep and approx. 2ft apart. I then covered the area with black polythene and left to hopefully warm the soil until the end of February. On February the 28th I planted 3 Kilo of Arron Pilot( 3 rows x 11 ) and 1 row of Charlotte ( 10 single potatoes ). To plant I just cut crosses in the polythene and pressed 1 potato into the compost beneath. By the May the 1st. the potatoes were starting to sprout. There is no earthing up to do as the potatoes grow just under the polythene cover, I only hope we get no hard frosts over the next week or two or I will be dashing down with fleece to protect the shoots.

The first picture below shows what a difference a month makes. This picture was taken 04-06-08. I started to lift the potatoes late June and was averaging just over 2 kilo per plant (about 5 lb. ) This was for the 3 rows of Arron Pilot. I completed lifting the last row and a half on the 21st July and lifted 3 quarters of a sack. Although very pleased with the results, crop size could have been increased with a little more attention to detail. I was forgetting that due to the fact they were under polythene they did not get as much water as they would have in the open. Next year I will be watering on a more regular basis.

The 1 row of Charlotte did just as well but crops were not as heavy (about 3 lbs. per plant ) These are a smaller potato but the flavor is superb. Next year I may be tempted to grow more Charlotte.

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