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- Easy no dig potato garden grow guide
- How to plant potatoes in straw/hay
- Benefits to growing potatoes under straw/hay
- When to plant and harvest potatoes
- Care for your crop
- How to harvest no dig garden potatoes
- How to store potatoes long term
- My experience growing potatoes no dig method
- Start your no dig potato garden now
Grow fabulous no dig potatoes
Growing potatoes no dig method is an easier way to grow stunning potatoes with faster planting, quick, easy harvest and a high yield crop.
Finding better and more effortless ways of growing food means you can become self sufficient sooner.
Potatoes are a staple vegetable in many homes therefor an important vegetable to grow efficiently.
Nothing can beat homegrown potatoes. Potatoes are my favorite choice to grow at home. They are versatile, and there are so many delicious ways to eat them!
Recently I mastered an easier, faster and better way to grow amazing potatoes and I´m very excited to tell you all about it.
It´s fast, simple, high yield, less weeds and no digging. You will love it!
Start grow fabulous no dig potatoes the easy way with my simple method below:
Easy no dig potato garden grow guide
Instead of growing potatoes in soil the traditional way you can grow potatoes above ground covered in straw or hay and once you try this no dig method you never want to go back to planting them in soil again.
Learning how to grow potatoes in straw makes planting, growing, and harvesting potatoes simple.
This straw potatoes method means you can plant a big crop of epic potatoes without it taking up too much of your precious time.
Follow my easy no dig potatoes grow guide and succeed with an easier and better way to grow this amazing vegetable at home.
In this article I will explain how to plant and harvest no dig gardening potatoes grown in straw as well as how to store potatoes so you can enjoy them for a long time after harvesting and also other useful information and tips that I have learnt along the way.
I love to grow my own potatoes and I plant a big crop every year. Growing potatoes in straw is easy, fun and rewarding! Give it a try! You can do it too!
With these easy steps you can enjoy fresh homegrown potatoes with less effort
How to plant potatoes in straw/hay
Planting potatoes no dig method means we are planting potatoes above ground covered in a thick layer of straw or hay
- First you need to find a well drained sunny spot to plant the no till potatoes.
- Sprinkle the surface area with organic fertilizer such as blood and bone or potato food.
- Place your seed potato on top of the soil or put a layer of hay down on your chosen grow area then the seed potato on top about 20cm apart. If you choose the later then sprinkle the fertilizer on the straw rather then the soil underneath.
I planted my potatoes on top of raised rows because my grow area wasn't well drained. If your area is draining well then it´s no need to make raised rows like I have done in the pictures.
- Cover the seed potatoes with a generous layer of straw on top.
- Water it, leave it, sit back and watch it grow.
- When the green stems are about 5-10 cm tall. Sprinkle with more organic fertilizer then add another generous layer of straw on top (A process called 'earthing up potatoes')
- Top up with more straw 'earthing up potatoes' as they grow to ensure long stems that will bear the potatoes.
- Earthing potatoes should be repeated once or twice more to achieve the best high yield crop and a minimum amount of competing weeds. If tubers do appear through the mulch, just add more straw to keep them covered. Earthing potatoes also prevents the new tubers from turning green.
Benefits to growing potatoes under straw/hay
- It´s an easy no dig no dirt grow option. No garden forks or shovels needed.
- Easy planting. No need to dig or prepare the soil before planting. Instead simply plant the potatoes on top of the soil or the layer of straw.
- Quick and Simple harvest. Once the potatoes are ready just pull the hay away and find your little potato treasures hidden among the straw. Just simple pick the potatoes from the stalks with your hands.
- Cleaner crop. Potatoes grown in straw/hay rather then dirt are cleaner to handle and hardly needs a wash.
- Less watering. The straw helps keep moisture in therefore less watering is required.
- Less weeds. The straw also helps keep the weed at a minimum and not much weeding is needed.
Growing potatoes in straw is a time efficient, low maintenance growing method.
When to plant and harvest potatoes
when to plant potatoes?
You can plant potatoes in spring, summer and autumn. The potato plants don't like frost so most gardeners plant their potatoes after the last frost. The straw or hay keeps the young potato plant warm and free from frost when covering them with a thick layer which means you can start plant them early in spring.
I plant three different stages. I plant my first crop early spring, the second crop, mid summer and the last crop in autumn. That way I have potatoes growing and ready for harvest most of the year.
when to harvest potatoes?
You can start harvest your new potatoes when the flowers are starting to die off.
Your larger main crop is ready when the green plants are starting to die off and anytime after that but before the first frost.
Try this potato pancake recipe (Raggmunk) for a great lunch dish that highlights homegrown potatoes
Care for your crop
No dig potatoes straw method are a very easy care crop to grow.
- Weeding: Potatoes don’t like too much weed but the straw keeps the weeds out and I hardly need to weed at all.
- Feed them with potato feed or blood and bone for nutrition
- water as needed
How to harvest no dig garden potatoes
With your first early potato crops, you will find you can just move the straw aside, pick your potatoes for a meal and leave the rest to grow on.
Harvesting is certainly far easier compared with when growing them in soil. No digging, just move the mulch aside and harvest your above ground potatoes.
The potatoes should be harvested when the straw they grow in is really dry to prevent them from going moldy when in storage.
Then we need to look after them so they last us until next year and we never have to buy potatoes.
Try this delicious roast garlic and potato soup recipe
How to store potatoes long term
Store the potatoes unwashed in crates or boxes in a cool, dark, breezy spot and use as needed.
Stackable food crates with air holes are good for longtime storage of potatoes and other root vegetables. They stack on top of each other and allow for great airflow.
My experience growing potatoes no dig method
Whats your favorite vegetable to grow?
Mine is potatoes. If I had to pick only one, potatoes is what I would choose.
Growing potatoes is a must do for me. Me and my family eat a lot of potatoes. It's a vegetable that can be stored for a long time after its been harvested which makes it a great crop to grow for a self sufficient lifestyle. It´s also an easy crop to grow.
For all these reasons potatoes are my favorite vegetable to grow and I grow a large crop of it every year.
I have a lot of spare wheat and barley straw at my property from another project. When I heard that you can grow potatoes in straw, it was an easy transition to make.
I was delighted to discover that growing potatoes no dig method is way faster and easier than growing potatoes in dirt like I used to.
This method of growing potatoes in straw is so much quicker and easier.
The plants took off and looked strong and healthy. When time to harvest, I discovered a high yield stunning crop and it was so much easier to harvest the potatoes grown in straw. No shovel or digging needed. Simply, pull on the green stems to reveal amazing, healthy clean potatoes or just feel around with your hands in the straw and pick the potatoes off from the stem.
Growing potatoes in no dig garden is my favorite way to grow this amazing vegetable!
Start your no dig potato garden now
You like eating healthy, locally grown and organic food. Growing it yourself is the best way to guarantee yourself that every day. Potatoes is a great crop to start with or ad to your vegetable garden because it’s so easy to grow and stores well.
Grow potatoes no dig method in straw is a great option because its faster, no fuss and no digging needed.
Don’t wait to start grow amazing no dig potatoes the easy way at home! They’ll be ready to eat before you know it!
Follow these tips for an easier method to grow potatoes and get the most out of your vegetable garden!
It’s simple, fun, inexpensive and so rewarding. Enjoy your freshly harvested, homegrown potatoes without spending hours growing them. You deserve it and you can do it!
Start small, grow bags or planting pots are fine, then grow from there. Once you start eating your own homegrown potatoes you never want to buy the store bought alternative again.
Don’t hesitate any longer give this amazing vegetable a space in your garden. You can do it! and you will love it!
Your own homegrown produce is much more nutritious and taste better than the store bought alternative.
Kalin says
These are such great tips and I'm no longer intimidated to give it a try!
Katie says
I've been trying to grow potatoes for years! This post is so helpful, i am so excited to get back in the garden again!
Gina Abernathy says
I also enjoy planting and growing potatoes. Planting them under straw is a great idea and also easier than digging them out. It's kind of like finding hidden treasures 🙂
Camilla says
Yes I agree, lots of fun!
Andrea says
This is such a great guide on how to grow potatoes! Will be referring to it often this growing season!
Camilla says
Thank you! Don't hesitate to ask if you got any questions!
nancy says
thanks for your inspo on how to grow potatoes. This is something i haven't tried yet in my garden. I may just give it a go with your tips.
Camilla says
Thanks and good luck! I hope you will give it a try. Start small the first time to get the feel for it. You won't regret it!
Cosette says
My garden is way to small to grow potatoes, but I love that you can grow them in straw. It sounds easier and finer than in the ground.