Friday 22 February 2013

Chit Chit Chit Chit Chitting

As well as collecting the mystery seeds last weekend (see last post), I also collected the potatoes I'd ordered. I've gone for Arran Pilot, the same variety I grew last year. I was really impressed with them, the yield was good, they tasted very good and they were versatile. I'll be growing them in containers rather than in the ground, firstly to free up space for other things at the allotment, but also because they come out so clean when grown in containers, with no damage at all. My potatoes used to suffer dreadfully from slug attack when grown at the allotment. This is the first time I've ordered my potatoes from the allotment shop and I was pleasantly surprised by the price, just £2.25 for half a stone, which is a little over the 3kg nets which are sold in garden centres for considerably more. They've now been set out to chit in the conservatory, this is just some of them. It's a good job I've got plenty of containers as I'm going to need them. I've also got a small packet of Anya potatoes which I'm growing for the first time, and I may get another small bag of another variety to try this year.

The peppers and onions which I sowed are doing very well. One job I must make time to do this weekend is to pot on the peppers as they could now do with moving out of the seed tray and in to individual pots of their own. The onions were sown in to modules, so they'll be able to stay in there until they're planted out. I sowed one seed to one module and about thirty out of the forty have germinated so far, but I haven't given up hope of the others pushing through yet as the ones already growing have germinated at various times. I've just noticed that another couple have poked their noses through the soil overnight. They obviously germinate over a long period. Some people would sow a couple of seeds to each module just in case one of the seeds doesn't germinate, but I don't mind if I end up with a few empty spaces.

The snow which was forecast for yesterday didn't fall here, though Hubby did hit a patch on his way home from work. He was at a meeting in Salford so would have to cross the Pennines which usually catch any snowfall which is around. It's forecast again today so we'll see if that materialises, then it's forecast to snow all tomorrow morning. I hope it isn't too bad as it was my son's 18th birthday this week and we're having a bit of a party tomorrow night. I hope I don't have to go in my wellies.

30 comments:

  1. Nice to read about your success in the garden department. I am still holding out on any major seed sowing. The broad beans & peas are trying to pop through!

    Glad you mentioned potatoes, I bought some Arran Pilot a couple of weeks ago and left them in the study.

    Hope you have a great weekend and the snow stays away, it has been trying the past 2 days here but so far has amounted to nothing.

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    1. All I've got round to sowing so far are the peppers and onions. I think I'll hold off with everything else for a bit longer, it's so cold again at the moment.

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  2. I have started to chit my potatoes as well. It is great to get things moving. The weather has been fantastic here in Dublin all week. Bright, Sunny but very cold. I have been able to get a few jobs done.

    Have a good weekend.

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    1. Ours are chitting too as for snow - no thank you!

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    2. We had a nice weekend but the weather's turned much chillier again this week. It makes such a difference to get some decent weather though, I'm glad you've managed to get some jobs done.

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    3. I don't want any more snow, but it's certainly cold enough. My hands were nearly dropping off while I was dog walking this morning.

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  3. I've had a little problem with my potatoes, currently chitting in the garage - one of them has been severely nibbled, presumably by mice. Just the one though, so hopefully they decided that raw potatoes are not such nice things to eat!

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    1. Those pesky mice have a lot to answer for. I should keep my eyes on the rest of the potatoes if I were you, they may be back for seconds.

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  4. You are an inspiration, Jo. I am motivated to try potatoes this year -- also in a container as I don't have bed space. I am finding it very cold in England. Although it is actually colder in PA it feels colder here because it is damp. Don't want snow! P. x

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    1. You should definitely have a go at potatoes this year, even if you only do a container full. I so look forward to the first ones of the season, from container to plate within the hour, smothered in butter and mint, delicious. It's come much cooler today, perhaps the forecast is right and snow is on it's way.

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  5. All mine have chitted now - just waiting for the soil to warm up.

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    1. I think it's going to be some time before the ground is dry enough, never mind warm enough, at my allotment to plant anything. I suppose that's another point in favour of me planting them in containers.

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  6. Oh...I do hope you escape partying in wellies!!! Fingers crossed the snow hold off!!!

    I grow my spuds in containers too, I find they are less likely to be attacked by bugs and you still get a great harvest.

    Your plants are growing quickly....I only have a few seedlings sprouting. You sound like you have green fingers.xxxxx

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    1. I do too. The snow hasn't arrived yet, though Hubby has rung me and said he encountered it on his way to work this morning. I'm a huge fan of growing potatoes in containers, they've always done well for me. I've only sown peppers and onions so far. I'm going to hold off sowing anything else for the time being until we get a bit more warmer weather.

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  7. Just found your blog and I am enjoying reading it. I have my potatoes chitting in our bedroom, together with a pumpkin, a few butternut squashes and 4 shark fin melonn....my husband always says it's the most romantic bedroom in the Uk lol

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    1. It sounds about as romantic as my bedroom, though there aren't many windowsills free once I start my sowing proper. I haven't started any of my squash yet, they're usually very quick growers so it'll be March or April before I get them going.

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  8. All of my spuds will be in containers this year. Including the maincrops, though they will be planted in a old dustbins. I'm sure I will get the odd baking sized one.

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    1. A dustbin will enable your spuds to grow quite large. I use containers which are a bit bigger than a normal bucket and some of them still grow quite big.

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  9. I've got all mine chitting in the spare bedroom. Slugs don't seem to touch the red skinned Desiree main crop variety if you do want to try again on the allotment.
    It looks like being cloudy and very cold here over the weekend. Flighty xx

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    1. I'd love to have a spare bedroom. By April, all my windowsills will be full of seedlings, much to the kid's dismay, I use their bedrooms. I think I may try some Desiree potatoes in the allotment this year, though I've tried Red Duke Of York with little success, the slugs still had a field day. I think it's going to be a cold weekend here too if today's anything to go by.

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  10. A really exciting time of the year for you - I love new growth and the promise of Spring approaching.

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    1. I love this time of year when you're just embarking on a new gardening year, wondering what sort of year it will be. Let's hope it will be better than the last.

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  11. The snow has started today here in Hertfordshire, so I'll restrict my gardening tasks indoors to checking on chitting potatoes and hovering encouragingly over chilli and tomato seedlings.

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    1. It's been snowing here this morning, though it's stopeed again just now. I definitely think a weekend of indoor gardening is on the cards.

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  12. You must be super organised to be potting on your peppers already. Mine haven't even poked through the soil yet! :)

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    1. I've only started peppers and onions so far, so not very organised at all really. I think it's going to be a busy March and April.

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  13. I almost bought some potatoes at the RHS plant fair last week but held off as I was told there would be plenty of time to chit them next month (second earlies, I think). I'm going to need to window space for other seedlings so happy to wait until Potato Day to make my choices! Happy 18th to your son; mine's also 18 but not until next weekend. Biting cold winds and slight flurries of snow are keeping me indoors at the moment so I still have time to think and plan!

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    1. Potato Day's are such a good idea, so many varieties to choose from, and you're able to buy just the amount you need. Happy birthday to your son for the weekend, I don't know about you, but it doesn't seem two minutes since he was a baby in my arms.

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  14. I haven't even bought my seed potatoes yet...really need to get things sorted!!

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    1. There's still plenty of time yet. I'm chitting mine, but you really don't have to.

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