TopVeg Hessian sacks have arrived! The sacks, which are used for potato storage are:
hessian-potato-sack
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ideal for storing potatoes, onions and garlic – allowing them to breathe and they do not sweat
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easy for the air to circulate through them
- each sack will hold approximately 28lb.
- introductory price for 5 sacks £5.45 plus postage & packing (UKonly).
new season introductory price for 10 sacks £10.75 plus postage and packing (UKonly)
Sorry – this offer is for UK only
Click this link to view more pictures of potato sacks
To use TopVeg Hessian sacks:
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fill them with dry potatoes – leave the potatoes out, spread thinly, to dry naturally before putting in the sacks
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do not wash the soil off the potatoes because washed potatoes will not store well, just let the soil dry before putting the potatoes into sacks
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only store healthy potatoes, any damaged, bruised or diseased potatoes will not keep
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once filled, store the sacks in a cool, dark place
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check the potatoes regularly to make sure there is no wetness or smell. If there is remove the offending potatoes.
- keep inspecting the store for signs of rats and mice
- TopVeg Hessian potato sacks are suitable for storing onions and garlic.
The Hessian sacks cost £5.45 for 5, plus postage & packing of £4.41 (UK only).
£10.75 for 10 Hessian potato sacks plus pp £7.20 (UK only).
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The Lady Christl new potatoes are delicious. About the size of a duck egg, one root has been enough for four people.
digging-EarlyChrystal-potat
first-early-potatoes
The plastic tunnel has brought forward the harvest of the Lady Chrstl new potatoes.
New potato shoots are popping up in unexpected places in the vegetable garden. These are known as groundkeepers or rogue potatoes & some gardeners may think they are a bonus.
rogue-potatoes-in-bed
Little potatoes (disguised as pebbles), which were missed during last year’s harvest and left in the ground, are sprouting and producing new potato plants.
Some people who add potato peelings to the compost, are discovering the miracle of regrowth from the eyes on the peelings. If the compost is well rotted, the peelings should disintegrate so that they will not regrow.
When unplanned/unplanted potato leaves appear in the vegetable bed, just pull up the shoots as they appear….they won’t have the stored energy to re-sprout. It is easier to pull them up when they have just appeared and are small.
emerging-groundkeeper
If the rogue potatoes are left, they will grow larger and take more getting rid of.
big-potato-groundkeeper
If these groundkeepers, rogue potatoes, are left uncared for, to get on with their own devices, the danger is that they harbour blight, and provide a host for the fungus of potato blight to multiply on. So from a hygiene point of view, it is important to remove rogue potatoes and not consider them as a bonus!
Cutting seed potatoes is a way to increase the number of potato plants grown from one seed & is used when the seed of a particular variety is scarce or very expensive.
Large seed potatoes may be cut into several pieces, as long as each piece contains at least one eye. The ideal seed potato is the size of a hen’s egg.
The eye of the potato is a leaf scar with a depressed lateral bud. This bud will grow into the shoot, which appears above ground, and also produces the new tubers below ground. When the eye first starts to grow the new shoot is called a chit.
How to Divide, Cut or Split Seed Potatoes:
- divide potatoes a day or two before planting, so they have time to heal
- use a clean knife, to prevent spreading disease from one potato to another
- cut when sprouts/chits are 1/4″ long pieces should be about the size of a small egg.
- cut pieces should be block shaped, with at least one eye or sprout, but two are preferred. Thin slices of potato are no good.
- cut lengthwise, across the top, to divide the chits that usually group there.
potato-chit-day20
- part of the center core of the potato should be in each piece.
- cover the cut potatoes with powdered limestone, to dry the cut up. Or sprinkle with flowers of sulphur, to stop any disease entering the cuts.
- let the potatoes “heal” by storing them at 65-70 degrees with fairly high humidity. The humidity is important to stop the potatoes dehydrating. The cut surface will develop a protective coat that can help prevent seed decay. Covering the box with clear plastic film will also stop dehydration.
There are pros and cons to cutting seed potatoes into several pieces before they are planted.
The advantages of splitting seed potatoes are:
- large seed potatoes are utilised to the full
- less tubers are produced per seed, so each tuber harvested is bigger
- apical dominance is broken, releasing more eyes to sprout
- expensive seed potatoes go further in the vegetable garden
- saves buying another packet, if just need one more seed to finish the row
Disadvantages of dividing seed potatoes are:
- bacteria & pathogens may be spread between the potatoes on the cutting knife.
- Large seed potatoes may be divided up into several pieces, as long as each piece contains at least one eye, to achieve the ideal seed potato size, equivalent toa hen’s egg.
Larger seed potatoes:
- have more vigour
- grow quicker
- emerge sooner
- will be ready for harvest earlier
- for more information click size of seed potatoes
Cutting seed potatoes is an old technique which has been practised by vegetable gardeners for years.
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The UK potatoes for schools project teaches primary aged children about potatoes.
Children learn:
- how potatoes grow
- how potatoes fit in to a healthy balanced diet
The potatoes for schools project is linked to the UK curricular.
All you have to do is register your school to:
- receive a FREE potato growing kit
- use the supporting lesson plans and worksheets
- have a chance to win fabulous prizes for your school
- enter the competition once you have harvested
Click this link to take part in the potato growing project for schools.
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Vales Emerald is a popular, high yielding, first early potato variety which tastes good.
Vales Emerald :
- produces a large number of new potatoes
- matures quickly , making it a very early potato
- is a Maris Peer x Charlotte cross
- has red violet flowers
vales emerald potato seed
Vales Emerald potato tubers are:
- round to oval
- white skinned
- cream fleshed
- shallow eyed
- firm & waxy
- great tasting
Uses of Vales Emerald:
- boil or steam
- serve hot or cold
- ideal salad potato
Click this link to buy some seed of the first early variety of potatoes Vales Emerald
Chitting potatoes must be done properly, according to John Sarup of the SAC.
Chitting is the controlled production of sprouts on seed potatoes before planting. But the controlled production of sprouts is the key. The length & strength of the sprout must be controlled to give a short (1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long), stubby, green chit.
The 3 factors involved in chitting are:
- temperature – 4 degrees Celsius is ideal, but the temperature should not go above 10 degrees, neither should it reach freezing.
- ventilation - plenty of fresh air
- light - plenty of light – but not bright sunlight – a north facing window is best
Early and late main crop potatoes could especially benefit from the chitting , but it must be done properly.
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The recently launched potato variety Accord is a first early.
Accord potatoes are:
- first early
- disease resistant – Double eelworm resistant
- high yielding
- creamy fleshed
- very tasty
- easy to grow
- ideal for containers, patio planters, a sunny balcony or roof terrace
Click this link to order some Accord seed potatoes, which are a first early variety.
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The potato variety Premiere is a first early potato.
Premiere potatoes are:
- first early
- pale yellow-skinned
- yellow fleshed
- oval shape
- firm and dry texture
- good for chips, boiling, New Potatoes, & Salad Potato
- golden eelworm resistant
Click this link to buy some seed poatoes, variety Premiere.
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We have been covering the soil to keep it dry before potato planting.
- At the end of November we put an old plastic sheet over the bed which was coming potatoes. We held it down with bricks, old pallets & a few strategically placed stakes. The idea was to keep the rain off, so that it did not become too wet to dig in the spring
- Over the last few weeks we have rolled the sheet back to do a bit of digging – & have just finished the job.
digging potato ground
- On sunny or windy days we rolled the sheet back to let the soil dry. Yesterday was the first good drying day we had had for ages – warm sun & a drying wind.
cover-rolled-back
- Luckily, we remembered to put the cover back on in the evening
sun-drying-soil
- Today the sheet was covered in snow! If the sheet had not been on, the snow would have wet the soil, which would have delayed potato planting. Before the potatoes are planted the soil needs to be dry & warm, otherwise they will not start to grow & will rot.
snow-on-sheet-cover
Covering the soil before potato planting will mean that we can be more in control of the dates we plant potato seed.
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