[Teen76]

Hi everyone

Do you think it is ok to earth up potatoes using grass clippings?  I did actually try this last year but wondered if I was risking my potatoes doing it.  Such as harbouring pests and diseases.  I didn't have too much problem with them apart from wireworm damage which I could cut around.

[sharky]

Do you have to do this?
What is the perpose?  :?

[Teen76]

Sorry I'm guessing that was a silly question to ask  :oops:

Last year I grew a few potatoes in my garden and had little soil to draw up around them and had to keep adding compost to them, and so tried grass clippings as I think I read it somewhere you could do that.

I also thought it would be good used as a mulch at the same time to keep the area moist.

I do suppose I will have more earth to play with on my new allotment plot.

[gobs]

No silly questions, on the other hand, just watch my mood.....

They can be used sparingly as a mulch when ground is wet around and well away from established plants, I don't think they'd be much use for earthing up.

Best though as a compost accelerator, use small amounts only.

[Trillium]

I wouldn't use too much grass clippings - they'll rob nutrients in order to decompose. Better off using straw - not hay! - for mulching up if you're short on soils. Potatoes like straw. A bale wouldn't be too expensive, especially broken bales which farmers like to be rid of.