Make life easier

Q Do I need to dig a trench before planting potatoes? JANET BALFOUR, BY EMAIL

A No, although burying them like this does reduce the risk of sunlight turning tubers green. Instead, you can grow them in polythene sacks with side access for harvesting. Or, use the No dig approach and plant chitted seed potatoes into a 20cm (8in) mulch of organic matter. In each case, earth them up (cover them) with more compost as they grow, to protect from frost and increase your crop.