Planting Early Potatoes

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It has been a beautiful morning, mild and sunny although, as we have had no rain for two weeks the ground is becoming a little dry. Well! We just have to complain about something - probably next week I will be complaining that it is raining all the time.

I usually start planting my early potatoes from 17th March [ St Patrick's day] but, as I was away this year I am a little late. Many of my allotment neighbours use Good Friday as their planting guide time but, as Easter and Good Friday can be any time from March until may I don't feel personally that this is a good guide.

My first earlies this year are Accent and Red Duke of York, both of which I have grown before.

I have had them chitting since the end of January in a cool bright room.

The top ones are my Accent potatoes with good sturdy chits. However the bottom picture shows the Red Duke of York where the chits are just a little long. It doesn'y matter too much as long as they are not 'stringy' . they have been planted anyway.

I think I may have mentioned before that I have been trying to grow Chilli - Naga Jolokia. At over a million Scoville units [ the measurement of heat in Capsicums] it is the hottest chilli known [ along with its cousin the Ghost Chilli - Bhut Jolokia which I am trying to grow this year - so far none of the seeds has germinated but, I won't give up yet. To give a comparison Scotch Bonnet and Bird's Eye Chillies which are considered quite hot have 100,000 - 350,000 Schoville Units

Last year only 2 of the Nage Jolokia seeds germinated. One of the little plants doed and the other I put in a pot and brought home to overwinter. It is now quite a sturdy plant and has several flowers opening. I am pollinating with the help of a soft paint brush [of the artist variety] as there are no little flies to do the job in the house. One of the chillies has set and is growing on quite well.

I'm not sure yet what I will do with it as I certainly don't intend to eat it.

A couple of years ago, my children bought me a wonderful Christmas present of a bird box with a camera. The first spring, by the time I got it set up and working I was too late to attract any birds. Last spring, a pair of blue-tits made a nest in it but then abandoned it. I failed to get any photos. However, this year again I have a pair of blue-tits starting to make their nest - possibly the same pair. There is no guarantee that they will stay to raise their brood so, I am no jumping up and down with excitement but, this time I have got some photos.

I will report back on what happen next.

Good Planting