Saturday 9 February 2013

Selecting potatoes and a Soggy Plot

It snowed all morning and was extremely cold and wet so we went shopping for our potatoes as planned.

We went to Charlton Park Garden Centre in Wantage as the owner is a bit of a connoisseur. We were able to select individual spuds for 15p each so this is what we chose (the links go to the British Potato database):
  • 2 x Accent (First Earlies)
  • 3 x Casablanca (First Earlies that look so lovely I had to have some)
  • 3 x Arran Pilot (First Earlies Have such good reviews we thought we'd try them)
  • 5 x Pentland Javelin (First Earlies seem to have the best reviews from what we've seen)
  • 3 x Red Duke of York (First Earlies Not great last year but fancy some red new potatoes)
  • 2 x Bonnie (Second Earlies)
  • 3 x International Kidney (Second Earlies)
  • 20 (ish) x Kestrels (Second Earlies - these are our favourite for mash and all-rounder)
  • 4 x Orla (Early Maincrop so tasty, so hopefully more successful than last year's failed crop)
We selected based on slug/disease resistance, our experience and on reviews we've seen on the internet - along with a certain amount of shallowness based on colour :-) We really would have liked a few Chopin as they were very good last year, but they were sold out.
We also bought a small bag of Golden Gourmet shallots.
In the afternoon we popped up the soggy plot to take up a replacement rain gauge - our last one melted as I forgot about it when I lit a bonfire.
As we walked home we spotted some great wood left by the industrial estate skip, so we picked it up and walked back to the plot - it'll be perfect for growing my onion squash (uchiki kuri) over, which will save ground space and might serve some protection against slugs.
I was pleased to see that our chives are growing happily through the snow and cold, so we'll have some with our new potatoes - mmm, can't wait but will leave them chitting round my mum's house for a few weeks yet!
 

7 comments:

  1. Chopin potatoes! if they are as good as his music I must get some. Nice post, also like the wildlife section.

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    1. Thanks, tricky to get good wildlife pics at the moment. The kestrel was on the plot yesterday and I saw it swoop down and carry off a mouse - no chance of me snapping that with my little camera though :-( If I'de been you, I could have sketched it!!

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    2. Yes that would have been a very quick sketch! yesterday I saw a nice exhibition of the British Wildlife Photography awards 2011 at my local museum (the horniman museum) you can see some of it online (guardian website) - inspiring stuff

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  2. Have you noticed that the world is upside down when viewed through a raindrop? I noticed when I photographed one a while ago and if you look closely at the bottom drop in your photo you can see what I mean.

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    1. Yes, I thought the raindrop looked a bit arty. Of course, if I'd been more arty I would have made sure our Plot 7 wheelbarrow was in the photo - that WOULD have been classy :-)

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  3. We never chit our tatties - barely get them in the ground in time as it is!

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    1. To chit or not to chit - that is the question :-)

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Belinda