I have to say, there is nothing like home grown potatoes lifted fresh from the soil.
The potatoes I have been eating over the past two weeks were grown in among some of the herbaceous plants and annuals I put in, in the Spring, so harvesting was a little tricky, but do-able. Why grow them this way? It was intentional of course; I really like the idea of the cottage gardeners of old growing crops and flowers together, particularly as we are in our first year here and the growing potatoes help to make the beds look full, and I enjoyed their flowers too.
I lifted them when I saw the first signs of blight on the leaves - it looks like dark blown blotches. It required some speedy action, so the potatoes were lifted at the first opportunity, foliage disposed into the brown bin (not the compost heap) and potatoes placed into some paper bags.
Quantity wise, I filled a bucket, From nine tubers sown in the Spring, that's pretty good, and since they have been lifted, the flowers have filled out the remaining space nicely.
I do have some potatoes growing in a different part of the garden that appear to be more blight resistant; I'll let them go full term and lift them when the foliage begins to get that Autumn tinge, maybe over the next week or two.
My next potatoe trick will be to have some fresh for Christmas; now this does require a particular set of circumstances, and a little luck, so I'll let you know how I get on!
The potatoes I have been eating over the past two weeks were grown in among some of the herbaceous plants and annuals I put in, in the Spring, so harvesting was a little tricky, but do-able. Why grow them this way? It was intentional of course; I really like the idea of the cottage gardeners of old growing crops and flowers together, particularly as we are in our first year here and the growing potatoes help to make the beds look full, and I enjoyed their flowers too.
I lifted them when I saw the first signs of blight on the leaves - it looks like dark blown blotches. It required some speedy action, so the potatoes were lifted at the first opportunity, foliage disposed into the brown bin (not the compost heap) and potatoes placed into some paper bags.
Quantity wise, I filled a bucket, From nine tubers sown in the Spring, that's pretty good, and since they have been lifted, the flowers have filled out the remaining space nicely.
I do have some potatoes growing in a different part of the garden that appear to be more blight resistant; I'll let them go full term and lift them when the foliage begins to get that Autumn tinge, maybe over the next week or two.
My next potatoe trick will be to have some fresh for Christmas; now this does require a particular set of circumstances, and a little luck, so I'll let you know how I get on!
Hugh, how delicious! We grew our own kipflers this year. We are going to try growing spuds in half wine barrels this season!
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