Plotting for potatoes

Our potatoes are happily chitting - some more than others. The two packs from Poundland (Swift and Pentland Javelin) are racing away despite not being in the regulation egg trays (left over from duck egg folly at a great Asian foods wholesale shop). In fact their stalks may be too long and pale. The Charlotte, British Queen and Sharpes Express (from a friendly 99p shop - we have all the best stores in my area!) are doing ok - short and healthy stubs of growth.  The Shetland Blacks are the slowest and were gleaned from a local (amazing) farmer's market where there is a potato specialist. I believe they are not really black but dark purple. It's a heritage variety that is a second early and are floury in texture and so make excellent chips or roast potatoes. British Queen is also new to me and a heritage potato (1894 apparently) that is supposed to be good for mash.  Sharpes Express is another traditional first early (1901) - very floury texture if left to mature, when it is best baked. I am informed the yield suffers in dry weather so keep well watered. Must watch out in the upcoming drought.

I especially chose mainly first or second earlies as that allows me to clear plot and either try a second lot of potatoes (first earlies) for Xmas or put in another plant group (beetroot, french beans? I'll make up my mind later).

Anne Swithinbank suggests trying an early potato sowing in the February edition of Grow Your Own magazine. Apparently you create trenches, plant in the bottom of the trench and pile up the earth next to the trench (and use it to 'earth up' later on) and cover the trench with double layers of fleece to protect from frosts. Essentially the fleece is anchored to the top of the earth piles. Worth a go - maybe with the easier to source seed potatoes like Charlotte.

I decided to finally clear most of the stored potatoes at the weekend. Jansson's Temptation will feature again for supper (again with bacon instead of anchovy).

I have my friend Katie to thank for the inspiration for my layered lunch. Essentially it a is a potato terrine. You layer in a loaf tin sliced par boiled potatoes with any veg you have to hand - in my case blitzed Brussels sprouts with shallots and bacon bits and then pour 4 beaten eggs over it and cook at a lowish heat in the oven (I did 160 degrees).

Slice very thickly and it makes a filling healthy lunch.

Know your onions

Apparently this is the time of year to start growing onions. I am already growing chives and garlic chives which are part of onion or allium family. I also have some wild garlic growing in my back garden.

I won't be bothering with real onions which as far as I can see you plant as small onions and, after much weeding and hoeing, grow into big onions. Hardly a spectacular outcome when you consider how cheap they are in shops.

I have decided though to try growing shallots this year. Not only are they pricier to buy in shops but they often seem to be favoured by chefs for having a subtler flavour. Shallots also multiply from one bulb to produce more which seems like a better return on my time and effort.

The sort I particularly covet is the long banana style one. Varieties mentioned are Jermor, Delvad, Hative de niort and Pesandor.

I am hoping they turn up in Poundland or Aldi before I have to make a trip to B&Q. In fact I went to B&Q and they don't have any. The search goes on.

It also turns out that I have some Welsh onions. These are perennial evergreens that can be used like spring onions. They should be divided every 2 years.

Garlic also comes under the onion family name but these would have done better if I had planted the cloves in November. I did for the elephant garlic but we'll just have cross our fingers for the ones I planted at the weekend.