Author Topic: Potato celebration! (Read 8570 times)

aquilegia · « **on:** June 30, 2005, 09:43:57 »

Harvest my first ever decent crop of spuds yesterday, after two years of growing them.

It was exactly three months since I planted my first earlies, so I had a rummage in a container of Red Duke of Yorks to see if there was anything worth eating. First few I found were pathetic - pea sized, some of which I annoyingly knocked off. Then found one - possibly the only I thought - good-sized one. Then another and another and another... and a huge one (double new potato size!) so four good ones and a double one. Add those to the little charlottes I got from a plant that had whithered away, some purple mange tout and the first of my spring broadies and we've got dinner all home grown tonight (if only I had a tofu sausage tree!)

hmm - not sure of the point of this post - just rather pleased (especially after the disaster of last year).

Maybe one little question - there were several tiny spuds still on the plant. I re-covered them with soil, watered the plant and left it to grow - will they get to eating-sized or should I just cut my losses and eat baby spuds?

tim · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2005, 11:41:24 »

Well done you!

I have a feeling that the weenies won't be worth tlc.

dingerbell · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2005, 12:20:09 »

BRILLIANT!! I've just had my first two meals of my own potatoes, Charlotte and Ratte. There is nothing quite like the taste of potatoes just out of the ground. I steamed the Rattes and let them cool down in a drenching of mint butter. They are the best salad potatoes I've ever tasted. This is my first year and there is such a lovely feeling, walking back from the lottie with a trug of fresh produce. By the way, my potato plants yielded nearly 3lbs of potatoes EACH !!! ;D
What about freshly picked Broad Beans :) I don't think dinner will ever be the same again!!

sweet-pea · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2005, 13:15:33 »

I dug up my first new potatoes yesterday, have never been sure about new potatoes from the shops, but I'm definitely loving these, fresh from the lottie.
I was also wondering whether smaller ones left attached would continue to grow.

weedgrower · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2005, 15:11:46 »

well done. i've just dug up 4 aaron pilot plants and got a carrier bag full. beeeeeeeeeautifull they were

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2005, 18:21:50 »

Woohoo! Good for you Aqui. We are eating home grown veggies every night now, and relish every single meal! Even the kids eat things once I tell them they came from mummies allotment!

p.s. when I dig up the weeny little spuds, no matter how weeny, I still wash them and eat them! Little bursts of potato yumminess! ;D

Merry Tiller · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2005, 19:38:14 »

Red Duke of York was an excellent choice, definitely in my top 5

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2005, 20:31:43 »

When I tried them, they were eaten alive by wireworms, I've never seen anything like it.

Mothy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2005, 20:35:18 »

Well done Aqui, my dustbin of Rocket didn't produce many at all..........so well pleased for you! ;D

Kepouros · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2005, 21:57:48 »

Aquilegia, provided that you didn`t damage the roots too much, or the rhyzomes the small potatoes are on, and provided that you cherish the plant, there is no reason whatever why you shouldn`t get more potatoes.

I have done this for several years with the first few potato plants I have dug up every year - lift the plant carefully, remove all the edible sized ones, then replant and water in - and get another crop later on. There is a documented report of a Scottish clergyman who did this several times over a season with the same plant and finally obtained nearly a hundredweight of spuds from it.

aquilegia · « **Reply #10 on:** July 01, 2005, 10:10:55 »

Right well - I shall keep taking care of the plant (although my idea of care'll probably mean I'll kill it!)

Dinner was absolutely yummy-tastic! Mr Aqui was well impressed too. I steamed the spuds with homegrown apple mint. Steamed the mange tout and broadies. and we ate them with lashings of butter, the sausages and homemade bread. Followed by homegrown strawberries. Dinner just doesn't get better than that.

One day we'll be self-sufficient. But in order to do that we need to inherit from a long-lost wealthy relative so we can buy a house with more land and not need jobs!

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #11 on:** July 01, 2005, 10:18:28 »

Quote from: aquilegia on July 01, 2005, 10:10:55

we need to inherit from a long-lost wealthy relative so we can buy a house with more land and not need jobs!

I too am waiting for that relative! ;D

Well done Aqui, bet you grow more next year! There is something about eating your own tatties, and all the other lovely stuff.

ina · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2005, 12:09:06 »

Okay okay, I'm going to try growing potatoes next year too.
I just can't stand all the talk about how good it is.
I never grew them due to lack of space and Mr. C. will not give up a piece of the flower patch. So, I talked to my accross the path lottie neighbor and he'll let me have enough space on his allotment for a long row of taters. (His lottie is too big for him and it's getting a bit messy so I think he was pleased when I asked for a bit).
Wish me luck.

aquilegia · « **Reply #13 on:** July 01, 2005, 12:12:47 »

Oh Ina - you won't regret it. As with all homegrown veg - you just won't believe the taste you've been missing all these years!

philcooper · « **Reply #14 on:** July 01, 2005, 12:17:39 »

Well done Aqui

Phil

Charlotte Sometimes · « **Reply #15 on:** July 01, 2005, 12:32:56 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 30, 2005, 20:31:43

When I tried them, they were eaten alive by wireworms, I've never seen anything like it.

Robert, that's a balanced meal isn't it? Carbohydrate AND protein? ;) :D

Aquie - well done on the spuds. I've never tried growing potatoes. Not sure I will either, there are other things I'd like to master first. Maybe one day.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2005, 21:55:00 »

Actually it was more a case of potato sponge with soil-filled holes. There were some worms in them, mind. Trouble is, this fussy family of mine turn their noses up if they see a few holes.

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2005, 02:10:58 »

I have just dug up my first new potatoes today. So I made an English meals with our new potatoes and our own grow peas,carrots,lettuces & mangetouts. And our own freerange eggs.Very lovely ;) But with a Chinese soup go with them ;D ;DVery nice & tasty. Even dogs love them new potato too ;D ;D All the hard works are worth it :)

AndrewB · « **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2005, 07:08:57 »

Well done

I have had first spuds (yesterday) probably a bit early some were very small. Also first lettuce and kohl rahbi and strawberries for dessert.

Icyberjunkie · « **Reply #19 on:** July 02, 2005, 08:39:24 »

Great result Aquilegia. I have Sharpes Express in as earlies but haven't had the courage to go rummaging yet in case I trash the roots so might have a go and try replanting.

How do you know when to start looking though. Is it the same as maincrop (I have King Edwards in) where you just wait for them to start yellowing and dying back -although thats daft or you couldn't replant them...ermmmmm?

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Author Topic: Potato celebration! (Read 8570 times)