Field Study's Man in E11 reports from the potato field

30th March 2013 - the planting out of our main crop seed potatoes in Plot B. We grew Cara, Setanta and Hunter varieties this year. As part of our efforts to reclaim this neglected part of our allotment site we used a 'no- (or less) dig' technique for growing those potatoes. Essentially it involves growing potatoes in a heavy compost mulch - the depth of which is built up as the potatoes grow. The first stage of our planting out was a colourful and colour-field affair by dint of the use of a load of colour paper found discarded in a skip. The ground onto which the potatoes and paper were laid out was very hard - a heavy clay stratum.

We used straw and compost, the latter sourced from North London Waste, as the growing medium, along with liquid feeds throughout the summer. Some rock-dust was added to the compost early on in the growing season.

14th September 2013 - in the 23 weeks since the planting the potatoes have put on a remarkable show of growth, the area although consisting of distinct raised beds, merged as a whole potato patch, a dense canopy through which it became very difficult to walk. 23 weeks exceeds the 20 week main crop growing period stipulated by most of the seed potato providers/gardening books. Our reluctance and hesitation to harvest sooner was due to the continuing vigour of the plants; the haulms were not dying back. Perhaps the cold spring has something to do with this delay. Just one week prior to the start of planting the site was covered in snow, and temperatures in April remained low.

Our Hunter potatoes did come sooner than the others and most have been harvested although some may still be in the ground as the seed potatoes were mixed up a little during planting.

14/9/13 - harvesting a raised bed c. 4m long 1m wide.

The compost/soil is soft enough that we can just use our bare/gloved hands to lift the potatoes.

The potatoes (Cara) generally seem to be in good condition. We're curious about the white spots and wonder if they are a sign of a pest, disease or inappropriate cultivation - over watering perhaps?

The amount of bindweed in the beds is astonishing. We pulled a lot of the root system up however so many fragments of root remain that it is unlikely we have made much of an impact on its presence. We would also need to dig and (de-bind) weed the paths between the beds. What makes 'bindweed' - Convolvulus arvensis (Field Bindweed/Lesser Bindweed) a pest?

Some of the potatoes were in a poor state due to a variety of pests and diseases. Above - a potato riddled with burrowing slugs - a slug warren. Another 'pest' is the red ant. There were numerous nests occupying the raised bed and digging for potatoes with bare and even gloved hands often became an irksome, irritating and painful process. Some of the ant colonies appeared to be using potatoes as nurseries for their eggs.  

The soil/ground we prepared in March was very compacted. Despite this we hoped the potatoes would grow into this layer (beneath the compost) as well. They didn't at all. The raised beds as a heavy mulch layer have served to soften the soil base. It was relatively easier to dig down and turn the soil to a depth of an ordinary garden fork. As we lifted the potatoes we turned the compost and soil together.

We wonder how much the soil nutrients have been depleted by cultivation of potatoes and what are the best ways of restoring and improving the soil fertility.

Our haul for the 6m bed featured here was 35kg (c. >5kg per metre) plus those discarded due to pests and diseases. Quite a few of the potatoes growing low down on the base soil layer had brown mushy patches. Those potatoes, if used soon, will still be edible.

The raised bed, dug and turned over, ready for rebuilding and an over winter planting of Field Beans. To the right of the bed are the remaining beds awaiting harvesting and, standing tall in the top right hand corner, Jerusalem Artichokes, just beginning to flower.

As Field Study's Man in E11 I recommend looking up the artist, Victor Grippo to see how the potato has been used as a subject and material in contemporary art. I was particularly interested to find 'Victor Grippo' in a blog entitled, 'Alchemy as Psychotherapy'.

Out in the field at large today - a window on Ilford Lane.