I’m giving Seedy Sunday in Brighton a miss this year and decided to start the gardening year by stocking up on seed potatoes closer to home, at the London Potato Fair.
Little by little I am learning not to over-experiment, so bagged a few of the well-tested and always appreciated Charlotte, alongside varieties new to the plot: Shetland Black, chosen as it resembles my favourite Skerry Blue, which I haven’t been able to find for a couple of years; and Peach Bloom, which I’ve never encountered and does indeed look a bit peachy.
On the subject of tubers, the Jerusalem artichokes are still on the go, if smaller in size – due to the dry autumn, I think – and lesser in quantity than previous seasons. Frankly, this is hardly a problem, for, good as they are, who needs over 30 kilos of them? Everyone, even the gas man (appropriately enough), got some last year, and friends and colleagues began to hide whenever they saw me approaching with a muddy carrier bag in hand…
(Above picture taken in December)
Not much else is happening at the allotment, though the winter has been mild enough to allow the grass and some weeds to thrive, which is my excuse for the plot looking even messier than it usually does off season.
