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GardenRN
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Location: Chesterfield, Va

If I may offer any advice...

My no-dig bed had a carbon layer right under the potatoes. It consisted of leaves, some mulch etc. I found that it was bad for two reasons.

1: that layer is where the ants loved to hang out. And they tunneled into quite a few potatoes, completely ruining them.

2: This layer being under the straw stayed pretty wet, and it caused a second hoard of potatoes to come out rotten.

If you've already planted them, good luck. Just thought I'd mention it.

nickolas
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GardenRN wrote:If I may offer any advice...

My no-dig bed had a carbon layer right under the potatoes. It consisted of leaves, some mulch etc. I found that it was bad for two reasons.

1: that layer is where the ants loved to hang out. And they tunneled into quite a few potatoes, completely ruining them.

2: This layer being under the straw stayed pretty wet, and it caused a second hoard of potatoes to come out rotten.

If you've already planted them, good luck. Just thought I'd mention it.
I have not planted the potatoes yet but I will soon, what type of layer would you suggest I use directly underneath the potatoes in place of carbon mix?

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GardenRN
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Location: Chesterfield, Va

I don't really know, this season was my first try...I suppose something that stays wet seems to fit the bill for the roots, but it did make all of my potatoes rot. Well, most of them. I'm wondering if it has to do with the high humidity in my area. I'm going back to putting mine in the dirt. Not to discourage, I just don't think it's right for my area.

Maybe instead of a carbon "mix", a good layer of straw? That way it won't "cake" onto the potatoes? I don't know, I suppose I offered my experience, not advice lol.



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