Potato planting 2024

At last, after a two-month delay due mainly to wet weather (but also a snapped pin on the tractor steering), we managed to plant our acre of potatoes on the 1st and 3rd of May, only the second time we've ever had to plant as late as May. We ploughed the field back in early February just before the rains began, and couldn't roll or rotovate it until late April due to the wetness!

One acre of the chicken field ploughed in February, and left for the chickens to pick over (we also hand-pulled as many dock roots as we could find).

Jess and Ross planting potatoes last Wednesday.

Planting potatoes last Wednesday - nice view!

Libby and Louie planting potatoes last Monday.

This year we have planted four varieties - 5 sacks of Casablanca first early, 5 sacks of Maris Peer second early, 12 sacks of Cara maincrop (because Ambo was not available), and 16 sacks of Carolus blight-tolerant maincrop.

Veg boxes 3rd May

 

Digging fresh elephant garlic.

Spinach harvested ready for veg boxes.

Spinach beds in the "hungry gap" section of the market garden.

Small £9.50 veg box - dried ring-of-fire chillies, a fresh elephant garlic, mixed herbs, Twister potatoes, salad leaves, spinach, and a swede.

Standard £14.50 veg box - all the above, plus chard, a bunch of icicle radishes, oriental greens, and rhubarb.