Christmas new potatoes...no chance

As in previous years, as soon as they arrived, I put half a dozen or so seed potatoes in a box in the fridge to try and halt their progress so I can plant them in July for Christmas new potatoes. Once again I failed as they now have white shoots 2 or 3 cm long and will have to be planted soon. Ah well, never mind.


The early planted spuds from the greenhouse are now outside but some are still looking a bit leggy.

I'm just praying that we don't get any hard frosts now. I can move them back into the greenhouse but it's a pain having to find space for them.

For those who are growing several varieties of spuds in containers be sure to put the name on otherwise you'll  never know what you are eating. Sounds obvious but it's very easy to forget what you've planted.

This afternoon I sowed 20 Alderman peas in cells under glass. These will be planted out to climb up the wigwam I’ve constructed and are in addition to the Early Onward and Lincoln peas which I’m sowing successionally to ensure continuity of cropping.

I try different seed composts every year and of the three I’ve used this year only one, Westland John Innes, would I ever use again. It has just the right feel for sowing fine seeds like lettuce and carrot whereas some of the others have lumps or wood or loads of gravel in them which need to be sieved out. If you're selling something as seed compost it should be perfectly usable straight from the bag.  This is not an advert, just an observation!!