Potatoes and straw

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Ema

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Potatoes and straw
« on: April 07, 2013, 14:14 »
Just wondered if it was worth putting a layer of barley straw on top of my spuds followed by the soil almost as an insulating layer? Or will it just get wet go moldy and kill the spud?

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fatcat1955

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Re: Potatoes and straw
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2013, 16:52 »
It can get mouldy but also attracts slug's.

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moose

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Re: Potatoes and straw
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2013, 18:19 »
I grew my potatoes under a straw mulch last year, just straw. Yield slightly lower but it was not a good year anyway. I had only two potatoes from 6 ten meter rows that had slug damage. I've been using straw as a general mulch for three years and I don't find it increases slug damage.

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Ema

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Re: Potatoes and straw
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2013, 17:04 »
Thanks both, I put them straight in but may well mulch with straw instead if we get a cold snap

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gavinjconway

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Re: Potatoes and straw
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2013, 17:29 »
On the same sort of line I have bought far too many seed potatoes and am going to fill few wheelie bins with them. I have loads of horse manure mixed with shavings..  Would I be able to use this and soil mixture 50/50 or thereabouts. The manure is free and delivered to the plots each month..  I normally dig it in before planting much to other peoples disgust but hey my crops grow well.
Now a member of the 10 Ton club.... 2013  harvested 588 Kg from 165 sq mt..


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