You say po-tay-toe and I say po-tar-toe? Tis that time of year to start thinking about potato growing if you are kitchen gardening inclined, which I am!
I noticed on the ever useful twitter a couple of weeks ago that the Two Thirsty Gardeners are hosting The Great British Spud Off (#spudoff ) this year. The rules are very basic and simple:
Plant up to 5 Pink Fur Apple potatoes in a recycled container of your choice. It could be for example an old compost bag, tyres, an avant garde statement piece fashioned out of from junk lying around your garden…whatever inspires you!
Include some basic growing info such as date planted, soil or compost used, any food feed applied and if you chitted them first and when your spuds are ready just send a photo over to the Two Thirsty Gardeners with the overall weight.
And that’s it! My mind is whirring with what to use for my container. I am about to chit my pink fir apples too. Some would say this is a little on the late side. And others would not bother to chit at all!
What’s all this chitting about?
Chitting is basically putting the potatoes in a light place to encouraging sprouting.
Each seed potato has a more rounded, blunt end that has a number of ‘eyes’.
Stand the tubers with the blunt end uppermost in trays or old egg boxes, with plenty of natural light.
The potatoes are ready to be planted out when the shoots are 1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long.
If you want to take part in The Great British Spud Off 2013 then head over here.
Edited to add in: If you are a complete novice – go to your local garden centre to buy your seed potatoes. They will have small packs available and if you are lucky open sacks where you can pick and choose which varieties with a glossary card that explains what all the different varieties are. Pink Fir Apples for the purpose of this #spudoff are known as ‘First Earlies’ which means they are the one of the varieties that can be planted the earliest in the year. You can add different varieties at later stages in the year for different things! Pink Fir Apples are very nobbly and are excellent salad potatoes. I will posting later on around Easter time when it’s time to plant the potatoes so you have plenty of time to organise your container. Make sure it has some good depth to it (a dustbin for example!).
I managed to grow potatoes, they were delicious and the only thing plant not to die on me!
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They are so easy to do aren’t they? Are you going to do some more this year?
Rachel recently posted…Chitty Chitty Potato
Ooh I’d so love to start growing my own veg. I have a fairly big back garden, but it’s pretty much all lawn, with a grassy border and a load of gravel and weeds at the bottom. I don’t know where to start with it all as I am so not green fingered.
I think I may stick with my windowsill herbs for now! Well, at least until the kiddiwinks are older and they can help!
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Ah you should definitely make this year the year you start learning!! Would be great to do with the children and it is really a good way of being outdoors and doing something that gives you a sense of pride. Potatoes and tomatoes are SO easy to grow I promise you! Have you got any old containers at all you cold plant some potatoes in? I have spare potatoes here, happy to give you some to get you started and a helping hand xx
Rachel recently posted…Chitty Chitty Potato
What kind of container are we talking? Something deep I’m guessing? I’m sure I’ve got something in the shed that’s suitable. Also, can you chit any old potatoe, or does it have to be a special type <—see I'm hopeless! Actually I haven't managed to kill my lavender yet so that's something
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Yes something deep. I will be posting up when it’s time to pop them in the containers (i am being advised around Easter will be the best time as the weather will *hopefully* warm up by then. You can buy seed potato’s from garden centres. Don’t use the ones from supermarkets. Your local garden centre (and also homebase etc) will have them. Some places will have big sacks of them where you can choose which ones you want. They may also have a card available explaining what the different varieties are good for. Pink Fir Apples are salad potatoes. I can always post you some!! x
Ah thank you for explaining that to me. I need to buy some compost for the herb tub I’m going to be planting, so I imagine I can use the bag (and the rest of the compost) for the potatoes. You are also very, very kind! If you can spare some I’d be happy to give them a home!
Yes you can use the bag! Email me your address and I will pop some in the post
anexetermum at gmail dot com
Great stuff. I always chit! This year am planting Lady Christie 1st early and Charlotte as second early. Both good for potato salad which I love. And Pink Fir Apple too of course which is my favourite. It’s great if you can find a garden centre where they sell them loose so you can try three or four of different varieties. We have a great garden centre here in Devizes, Wilts which does exactly this and also has a useful little write up about each potato variety.
A very good point Lizzie. I bought our potatoes from our local independent garden centre. They too had the open sacks of many varieties to choose from and a little card explaining all the different varieties. When it came to the pink fir apples they weren’t sold loose however, so I have rather alot of them!!
I am so worried that our potatoes aren’t getting enough light so the shoots will be weak but I expect I shall worry the whole season as this is our first go. If you want to share any gardening posts come and join in with the ‘Gardening With Kids’ group on Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/103077896319158707107/communities/116149664569247986665
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I will do thanks x
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