I have heard of planting potatoes using straw, but usually the first layer is a layer of compost rich stuff, then straw keeps being added as the plant grows.
I have a lemon plant, but I am not sure what kind it is. It was sold as a citrus combo of lime and lemon. The lime had huge thorns, so I just kept cutting it back and let the lemon take over.
We get several baseball and softball size lemons that are round and very thin skinned and juicy. Since I let them ripen on the tree, they are sweeter too. I like to make a lemonade with them, and drink it with out any sugar - it’s that good.
I’ve read the Mayer lemon is a cross between lemon and tangerine. They are soft and juicy and really yummy. You may have a mayer. I’m spelling it wrong, but it sounds ok.
The Scandanavians have been growing potatoes in straw forever. They probably put the “mamma” potatoes in soil and cover the offspring with straw. We’ll see. It’ll be interesting.