After such a long break I am just going to leap back in without explanation or apology!
I just want to give you an update on the potatoes which I brought over from the UK and have planted in two different ways. The first to go in were the ones we planted in sacks on our terrace and next we put in five rows in a friends allottment in Lliça d’Amunt. All in mid March.
First the sacks – this is how they looked on March 13th
They are growing so fast that we have to add soil almost every day and I’m actually wondering if this is an easier way to earth them up as normally I don’t have enough extra soil if I have planted rows in the ground too close together. They now have about a metre of deep rich humus to fill up with lovely new potatoes. Here they are this morning.
My only worry is that we put too many into each sack and we may end up with little tasty marbles.
On the other hand the rows in Lliça d’Amunt are also flourishing and are taller and bushier than their terrace sisters. We have been over there three times to weed and earth up. I must admit it is lovely having only a small patch to deal with rather than the whole allottment – it means we can be perfectionist about keeping it all neat and weed free. This is taken just after planting
And here they are a couple of weeks ago – after being earthed up
And this was taken yesterday. As always there is not enough room to pile up the earth as much as I would like but I expect it will be fine – as it usually is.
There are the beginning of flower heads on some of the plants and I think that in 30 days we should be able to eat our first British/Catalan potatoes!
I had never heard of eathing up potatoes before! I always just put them in the ground and let them get on with it. What is that all about?
I want to taste them sooonn…!!!
Nice photos! xxxx
Earthing up is to create as much space as possible for the potatoes to spread into. The idea is that you keep building up the ridges to make little mountains and the plants will be able to make a bigger crop. It is also important that they don’t get out into the light as this will turn them green and inedible.
It also looks so nice!
I can’t wait to eat them either! It’s getting tempting to dig around a bit to see if there are any there.
How exciting! I remember it was always an event when the first new Ayrshire potatoes arrived in the shops in Troon, but this is much better. I’m thinking in their jackets with butter and chopped spring onions.
Yes I am thinking of baked in jackets and also boiled with mint and everything coated in butter! It feels like ages since I ate a really delicious potato. Soon we will know if it is the climate or the seed stock. Or the soil? Or perhaps even the love and hopes and dreams you put into the planting. I definitely am from a potato nation.
Wow! This must be so exciting to watch develop! How lovely to get tasty homegrown potatoes. I am from a potato nation too, but I don’t eat much potatoes here. Best of luck, and please keep posting the results!