Potato growing 2026

Received an email to say my choice of seed potatoes were now in stock, so order placed. Anya, one I have not grown for a while, my wife requested red potatoes so Rooster and Java also ordered, just a kilo of each as we don't have a huge amount of space.

 

Talking of potato growing. My neighbour has an allotment and he was telling me his neighbour at the allotments earths up his potatoes with grass cuttings instead of earth. I have no intention of doing this but has anyone tried it with success.

 

Hay, bracken, coco fibre matting, straw, strawy manure why not grass mowings. Just to keep out the light. Slugs likely the biggest problem, but needs must...

 

I was watching a youtube AI thing on the old ways of growing potatoes(yes they are usually a load of rubbish)but it got me thinking about trying not burying the seed tatties in a raised bed as an experiment. I'll report back, thing is I will need a constant supply of mulching material through the growing season, not sure I have that.

 

That is basically the Ruth Stout method. I've read quite a few times that it does work but doesn't give the biggest harvests because the weather plays a bigger part due to less protection and moisture retention.

The downside to grass clippings is they do attract slugs and can go slimey. A thin layer can be good though.

 

I seem to get a reasonable crop off of the ones I missed the year before, just makes me wonder if the drying out through the winter is not the best of things for a seed potato tuber.