Tuesday 3 February 2009

3rd February

The two things I love best(not counting my family or dancing) are gardening and writing. As I've broken my wrist ice skating at gorgeous Somerset House I am reduced to writing about gardening while I heal. I am one of those sadists that love digging. It fills me with calm and sweeps out all those annoying conversations that swill round my head endlessly. Writing is another way of dealing with them but is harder work.

Anyway vegetable growers -this is what I've got round to so far.

1/Have ordered seeds.

2/Started some peas off inside lean-to in toilet rolls filled with soil.

3/ Have started chitting potatoes in readiness for planting in allotment in March/April.



Chitting potatoes.

Incase you've never heard of this(I hadn't before I got the allotment) it's when you put potatoes in egg boxes in a light frost free place and leave them to sprout. They need to be rose side up so just look at either end and see which side has most eyes (like dots) and put these at top. If you've got loads of potatoes ask at butchers for egg trays. Chit them starting January or February. The jury is still out on whether potatoes do better chitted or not so don't stress if you don't get round to doing it. Will try and post picture of this tomorrow.

4 comments:

  1. Can you put potatoes in just as they are then? I didn't realise you had to chit them.....I read the title wrong first...put an s where the c is!! I love your shed. I want a shed and a compost heap....better get a garden first eh!!xxxx

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  2. you can just put potatoes in as they are but chitting them is supposed to give them a head start. though in trials i think they only found it to be true in the varieties known as first earlies. but you know what i got a good crop chitting them first so I am gonna carry on. welcome to blog tina:)

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  3. I do not have a green thumb, but it is black with ink from writing and I love that you taught me a new word today. Chitting. :)

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  4. dear laura jayne, glad to be of service. sonia:)

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