Chit Chat

Potatoes. Spuds. Taters. Tatties.
Boiled, mashed, fried, chipped, roasted, baked. Is there a more versatile vegetable than the humble potato?

So in honour of the potato I have decided to try growing a few of my own as a bit of a challenge. However, as I don't know the first thing about growing spuds, this could prove interesting.

A bit of research on the internet says that apart from growing in drills in the soil, they can be grown in all sorts of containers, from dustbins to plant pots to stacks of tyres.

So with my brain overloaded with 'tater data' imagine my joy when I happened to spot a seed stall in Coventry market. Outside they had about 30 different varieties of seed potato. I tried making a mental note of some of the names and then it was back on Google to do some more research. I never knew that Golden Wonder was actually a type of potato! The Potato Council website has some good info. I know! A potato council! I hope there's no such thing at the potato police.

So armed with some more info I went and bought some seed potatoes from the market. I didn't go overboard although it would have been so easy! I spent a bank-breaking £1.70 and bought 3 or 4 of each of the following varieties:

• Red Duke of York (First Early)
• Charlotte (Salad)
• King Edward (Main)
• Desiree (Main)

Hopefully the main season ones will produces a nice crop for jackets. Mrs. Matt does like her jackets (and shoes and handbags but I haven't found a way of growing them yet!).

At the moment all my potatoes are in their own egg boxes next to the window in the garage so that they can get their sprouts going. This process is called 'chitting' to those in the know. The aim is to get nice strong dark coloured shoots, rather than thin spindly white shoots.


So while my potatoes are getting their sprouts out I'm going to have to think about where I can plant them when they're ready to go which should be in a few weeks.