What Happens if You SURFACE LAY Potatoes Instead of BURY?

In this video, I show you what happens when you surface lay potatoes instead of burying them under the soil. I take you through the experiment and process and then we harvest the crop to see the results.

For Australian freeze dryer purchase info, use the link above and contact Harvest Right directly.

Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland, Australia, about 45kms north of Brisbane - the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online, so come along with me and let's get into it! Cheers, Mark :)

*Disclaimer: Some links to products in this description and comments sections are affiliated, meaning I receive a small commission if you follow these links and then purchase an item. I will always declare in a video if the video is sponsored, and since starting my channel in 2011, I am yet to do a sponsored video.

#Gardening #garden #preparation

[Selfsufficientme]

G'day Everyone, Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy the video. This year, I didn't upload all the videos I wanted for various reasons, but just like gardening, things don't always go the way you imagine them. I will bring you more videos in 2024, including the ones I missed, and I'm already looking forward to it! Thank you very much for your ongoing support, and if you get the time over the holidays, make sure you "get into it" because growing things grows us. Cheers, Mark :) P.S The recipe for our potato salad is very easy:
Method:
Cut potatoes into chunks
Boil until tender to eat and then let cool in fridge
Boil some eggs, cool and peel, cut in halves
Fry some chopped bacon pieces (approx a cup or enough to notice when combined with potatoes later)
Chop up some garlic/onion chives and also some spring onions (about a cup altogether)
Place all the cool ingredients above in a serving bowl
Sauce (Amounts depend on quantity of potatoes etc and also on your own taste but there is plenty of room for error):
Dijon mustard - tablespoon
Squeeze lemon juice - 2 x tablespoon
Vinegar - tablespoon
Sour cream - half cup
Mayonnaise - half cup
Salt and pepper seasoning to taste (less salt if bacon is extra salty).
Mix the sauce well into the other ingredients, serve and enjoy!
P.S Experiment with the sauce and other ingredients to get the potato salad exactly to your liking but I hope this recipe gives you a base to start from.

[AdaptiveGardener]

I’m a wheelchair using guy who has recently started a new gardening project and will be using tall raised garden beds inspired by watching this channel for a while. I’m showing the project on my own channel.

[TheOldMayfieldPlace]

We tried the Ruth Stout method of planting potatoes in 2022. I put 40 pounds of potatoes in and got less than 10 pounds out. I was very disappointed, especially since my best friend has had great success with this method. This year, 2023, I planted 40 pounds 6 inches into the ground and we harvested over 150 pounds at the end of the season. In ground is how I will plant from now on.

[naomiarmstrong]

I found the same thing as you when I tried to do no dig potatoes. So my next round, I placed them on the soil, added about 3 cm of homemade compost on top, then mulched, and the difference was amazing. I did find I needed a small fork to dig them up. But way better than digging them up and less loss from putting a fork through.

[EscapeePrisoner]

This science is approved by the Department for Watching You do the Work.

[Jan-Boer]

Thanks for the video, the result confirms my thought. Do not use more than 4 to 5 tubers per square meter for seed potatoes. The new tubers are formed on the underground stolons that grow on the stems. Planting deeper gives higher tuber numbers and yield. Make sure there is at least 10 centimeters of soil on top of the mother tuber. Mulching is always good. With this growth method you will achieve a yield of 5 to 8 kilograms per square meter. Harvesting is more of a skill than difficult work. I have only been working in potatoes for 40 years and I also try to explain something about this on my channel. Greetings from a potato breeder from the Netherlands.

[TreVicePhone]

Texas gardener here, have followed you for a couple years. Just wanted to say I appreciate your style, demeanor, & info you present in your videos. I had the same type of results from my “no dig potatoes” & its nice to reaffirm my thoughts on it watching one of my favorite gardening role models. Thanks mate. 🙏🏼

[janetkrehbiel]

We've been doing no dig with potatoes for a few years now. I have found we get a bigger harvest if we put well rotted manure (chicken or goat or donkey) about 3 to 6 inches deep, then slip a potato underneath about every 2½ feet. The rows need to be about 2 feet apart. If you give the potato plants more space, they will grow larger spuds for you. When the plants come up you can add the mulch to keep the baby potatoes from turning green. Thanks for the videos. You're a blessing to all of us who are privileged to watch your channel!

[epicgardening]

FASCINATING, Mark! Merry Christmas mate, hope you're having a great one - KEvin

[blacksun]

I live on the opposite hemisphere of the world from you and I don’t grow anything, but I truly enjoy what I learn from your channel and your optimism is infectious and wholesome. I’m happy people like you exist in the world. You’re like the crocodile hunter of gardening 😊

[ladamurni]

I don't have a garden just a balcony. Last summer I have grown tomatoes, paprika, chillies, green beans, and some potatoes in plastic containers. It worked out fine, i am very happy with the results. The beauty of nature, you plant a seed and look what you get in return. Thank you for inspiring me! Merry christmas.

[jenniferthomson]

We planted 24 yellow seed potatoes in the ground, much smaller patch than you have there (less than half the size) and we harvested 44lbs of potatoes last summer (Canada). We had a good growing season, good amount of rain (I barely watered it). We dug to plant the potatoes and then left it, no hilling and no mulching. The potatoes were quite large too. We harvested in Sept and still have some in the cupboard for Christmas dinner. This was a very interesting and informative video

[hopechannelcat]

something that is helpful, is after putting on the 1st layer of mulch, through a little compost on top of the mulch, then add more mulch after the compost. hope this helps.

[deedieducati]

I've never seen anyone grow potatoes this way before. I always bury mine and add soil as they green. I don't mind digging them up; they're safer below the surface anyway.
Merry Christmas to you Marc, from New Orleans, Louisiana!

[gingerphillips]

Several years ago I lived in the Colorado Rocky mountians outside Denver. I put out white potatoes on the ground, covered them with 6 inches of straw, watered them once a week. When the plants died off I rolled the straw off and picked up a LOT of potatoes

[kimberlykelly]

I used a raised bed like yours but planted them about 4 inches deep. We had a great harvest. Love growing potatoes.

[CaptFoster]

Just finished watching this video with my 2 year old granddaughter and she immediately recognized the potato for what it is. I have a backyard garden and grew potatoes twice this past growing season. And both times she helped harvest them with me.

[MorrowSind]

Pretty cool experiment. I loved that you shared this with the community of gardeners as a whole; we live and learn from one another and advance in just this way. Looking forward to what you might try in the years to come. Kudos.

[joolzmac]

I’m in lower SE of South Australia (Siberia to you Queenslanders!) and I planted out Desiree and Nadine potatoes on 3/9/23. Some were in large pots and most in raised beds. So far, I’ve harvested close to 7kg with still more to harvest. I love just going out and digging out a handful of spuds for dinner knowing the rest a just waiting for later.
I have had minor insect damage (tiny nibbles) but that just gets peeled away and they’re still perfect to eat. We’ve had mashed, steamed, scalloped, potato salad, oven chips. All delicious! I do think next season, I’ll plant a little later to get me further through the summer months. Anyone thinking about growing potatoes? Give it a go!
Merry Christmas to you all! 😊

[playnejayne]

After watching a You Tube video, I placed sprouted potatoes on top of a bed that was tilled a couple of years ago. As I didn't care to purchase mulch, I used several inches of oak leaves, which are everywhere here in Virginia. These taters outdid the ones I planted in the traditional manner. Productive and clean.