On 28 Jan, 15:41, "covehithe" wrote:
My mother has just won a large quantity of Scots. seed potatoes in a
local competition! She wants to start a veg patch and has a 5m x 1.5 m
area ( this is a lawn border which includes a 50cm strip of lawn).
Her neighbour has told her to plant the potatoes straight in the
ground including in the grass strip without
any digging. The idea is to clear the ground so she can, later this
year, set up a raised bed.
Is this likely to work??

Um. Possibly, but probably not. A lot depends on the soil, but in
any case the grass will be in competition for nutrients and water, so
the spuds will do less well than they might. Unless the soil is VERY
fertile , and you nip out a growing point late on, they are unlikely
to shade out the grass. I'd slice off the turf, and either compost it
or use it elsewhere. The remaining width might be suitable for
growing spuds depending on the history, but you will probably get a
better crop if you turn it over and work in some compost.

I suppose a lot also depends on what you expect from the crop.