growing potatoes in straw

My grandmother always grew her potatoes in straw, how-
ever, my mom can't remember how she did this.
I have always gardened in raised beds and had my soil
hauled in, but I have a lot of room to grow potatoes in,
but the soil is inadequate to say the least. Red dirt with
no PH, nitrogen or potassium. Pot ash only.- I garden in
the Sierra Foothills of the Mother Lode Gold country-
zone 8, where the summers stay around 100-107 for
long periods. How would you grow your potatoes?
Jeane E

Doug says if you want to grow potatoes in straw - the trick is to lay the potato on the ground and put about a foot of straw over top of it. Water as normal.

The straw will settle as the potato grows and the stems/leaves will poke up through the straw. Grow and then harvest by removing the straw to pick up the potatoes.

This works fine although you may have slug problems under the straw. And you have to make sure the straw is deep enough to fully shade the potato or the tuber will be "greenish" and not good to eat.

Hope that helps you grow a few potatoes in straw.