Sorry again - no dig potato question

[Tora]

Hi all.

Today I made a lazy sod's bed and planted Foremost first early potatoes. Now I'm wondering if I did it right ::)

I placed a thick layer of manure leaving exposed turf around it and then lifted the turf and folded over the manure. Then I placed weed suppressing fabric over the bed and buried the edges under soil. Finally I slit holes in the fabric, planted potatoes around 2-3 inches deep and topped them with some compost.

Now, I'm wondering if they grow ok. Usually potatoes need earthening up, don't they. Because of the weed suppressing fabric I will not be able to earthen them up.
Do I just leave them as they are now and forget about them until harvest? Do they actually produce spuds?

I'm sorry for being dim :(

[Tora]

[supersprout]

Do I just leave them as they are now and forget about them until harvest? Do they actually produce spuds?

it's hard to believe that anything so easy can work when everyone around you is toiling away in their patootie patches ;)

It all sounds perfect Tora, the answer is yes, and yes! The spuds crawl around under the plastic and fatten up. They will enjoy all those juices in the lazy sod 'lasagne', and if it gets REALLY dry you could water them through the holes. I never did water my 'lazy' spuds last year, and they did well (except for the meece :-\). Good luck!

[ellkebe]

Tora - planted mine under cover last year and got a reasonable crop, so am doing the same this year over a wider area. 
Lost quite a lot to slugs and eel worm though (think that's the right name) as the ground hadn't been cultivated for approx 5 years and so expect to lose more on the new bed this year  :(

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's probably wireworm; I had the same trouble. It does go away after a few years. I grow my spuds on the flat every year; I put first earlies a foot apart, second earlies and maincrops fifteen inches, and put several inches of mulch over the top. You need a lot of mulch as the potatoes have to be covered at the end of the season, by which time the worms will have gone through a surprising lot of it.

[Tora]

Thanks! :) Yes, it's hard to believe that I can get spuds so easily (hopefully)! ;D

I think I'm getting addicted to this method. I and hubby have been tackling our first bed, devided into small sections, and it's been really hard. I somehow missed big colony of couch grass and bind weeds when digging and they made a big come back! :-[
Couldn't believe how quick it was to make a lazy bed.  :D

Thinking of planting other vegetables in lazy beds... Can I grow tomatos, cucumber, chillies, beans etc.?

[supersprout]

Anything that's a big enough plant to plant thru a hole in the plastic (and doesn't mind fresh-ish compost/manure if you're using it) can be grown on a lazy bed. Leeks, squash/cuke/melon/courgette, beans, tomatoes, cabbage family, globe artichokes, fruit bushes, rhubub and spuds for starters! ;D ;D ;D

[Tora]

Thank you, supersprout. :D You are always helpful when I have a question!
Sounds good to me! My favourite vegetables  ;D
Now I can't wait to make more lazy beds ;D

[ellkebe]

Wireworms! - those are the little b****rs Robert  :) 

Mind you, the crop that survived tasted way better than anything out of a supermarket.

[supersprout]

Now I can't wait to make more lazy beds ;D

Can't wait for pictures of your lazy beds! Pretty please? ::) :)