tattie planting

I've got the first lot of containers ready on the plot for this years potatoes. Now, I know some will say why not just put them straight into the soil but there's method in my madness. At least I hope there is otherwise I'm just mad.

The reasons for using containers are as follows.

1. You can get more spuds in a given area than with conventional spacings

2. No matter what the soil you have control of the growing medium

3. Easy to harvest...just tip out the bucket and you get no 'volunteers' left behind to sprout next year

4. Less damage from slugs and other pests and the spuds come out much cleaner

Today I risked putting out some seed potatoes, five each of Charlotte, Lady Christl and Nicola. We have no frosts forecast for the next week or so but if the weather does turn I've got plenty of fleece handy. I'm a couple of weeks earlier than the last few years but this winter has been much milder so I'm prepared to risk it. With the greenhouse crop I now have forty spuds planted and the first shoots have just appeared on the first lot that went in. The main planting will wait till the end of the month to be more sure of the weather.

potato shoots emerging

And talking of shoots the beetroot that I sowed in the greenhouse are now popping up.

All in all things are starting to shape up nicely. Wouldn't it be a great bonus if we could have a decent summer.