Thanks @Fairygirl, yes I was thinking of lining it with drainage holes at the bottom.
My thoughts are; it's going to take ages for the turf to morph into compost so might as well make it useful. I'm using bits of the turf up by laying (upside down) some at the bottom of large containers when planting them up - the weight at the bottom does help to stabilise the containers somewhat.
They used to say, perhaps still do, that planting potatoes in rough ground helps to break it up for planting the following year. If that's true then planting potatoes into what is a turf bed should help to break it up. I'd say it's worth a try anyway and nowt to lose.
Good point @Uff. I've never grown them in open ground. Long time since I've grown them at all. We hardly eat any potatoes, so it wouldn't be worth the time and effort.
The only problem might be the fact that the turf won't really be in contact with the spuds.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've just re-read Jenny_Aster's post, yes I see FairyGirl. I misread read it. The old idea might work if it were a solid bank of turf but if the turves are used as Jenny_Aster suggests it's a good way of getting rid of them.
Put at the bottom of big pots, upside down turf will rot well so long as the potatoes get a regular watering, which they generally need in big pots. Mum grows some in bags every year in the polytunnel, they get a good gallon a day each bag.
I use turf at the bottom of the big pots I grow sweet peas in, as it helps retain moisture which they really need to do well. It still stays quite solid when I empty the pots in autumn, but I then chuck it into the compost bin or in at the back of beds/borders. I took all my turf [back lawn] up last spring and put some in borders or at the foot of the hedge but most of it is currently in one compost bin. I haven't looked at it since then though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'd go for it and see what happens. If you cover both the inner and outer 'walls', the turf won't regrow and will be rotted by the following spring, anyway.
BTW, I think the 'potatoes to break-up new ground' thing is more about how much cultivation is involved in growing them: You dig rows to plant them, adding organic matter, then 'earthing them up' adds a little more ground cultivation (and I usually addd more orgainic stuff at that point), and finally more thorough digging is needed to harvest them (or you'll miss some, and get 'volunteer' potatoes appearing in the area, which is a pain when you do crop rotation and they come-up inside your nice new rows of carrot seedlings!)
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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My thoughts are; it's going to take ages for the turf to morph into compost so might as well make it useful. I'm using bits of the turf up by laying (upside down) some at the bottom of large containers when planting them up - the weight at the bottom does help to stabilise the containers somewhat.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
That was how turf was used up here in ye olden days. They they discovered wood and bricks...
I think it's a good idea @Jenny_Aster. As long as it's lined, you won't lose moisture either, which would be the other, probably bigger, problem.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
The only problem might be the fact that the turf won't really be in contact with the spuds.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I took all my turf [back lawn] up last spring and put some in borders or at the foot of the hedge but most of it is currently in one compost bin. I haven't looked at it since then though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
As the potatoes grow I could add layers of compost and turf, getting rid of more turf and letting the potatoes break it down.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.