Kitchen Garden Forum

Fellow plot holder suggested cover spuds with straw when it was cold.

The spuds are in a grow bag that is 1/3 full of compost & 2/3 full straw. There are small shoots coming through the top of the compost do I leave them or remove the straw & top up with compost?

I read an old way of growing spuds was to cover them in straw as the straw rots keep topping it up with grass cuttings, I tried it last year ,twelve sets rotted in the soil were I planted them

I'd be worried about slugs enjoying that too much, but I could also see that soil in a grow bag could definitely freeze without protection if outside. I would just get rid of the straw and start topping with compost in stages as the foliage grows through. If any risk of the bag freezing I would just wrap something around the outside of the whole bag. (With regular slug & snail patrols)!

Thanks for you help.

Wondering what is the purpose behind toping up with compost whilst plant is growing?

If sufficient compost is used it will help lighten the soil making it both easier for potatoes to form and grow as well as making it easier to dig them out when ready to harvest.

It will also help protect plants from damage from late frost. Once risk of late frost has passed you need to watch that the new grwth tubers are covered and not open to sunlight otherwise they will go green and not be safe to eat

Straw would almost certainly harbour slugs