My seed potatoes, which as you know, arrived well before Christmas, were unable to hold back any longer from sprouting in their box, and when I checked them the other day found long sickly white shoots emerging, some up to 2 inches long. On the advice of an 'expert' at Thomson and Morgan I brought them out and put them out to chit, removing the very long shoots (anything of 1" or more). This is a good couple of weeks earlier than I had planned to start them off, so goodness knows what they will look like by the time I'm ready for planting. The main crop - Sarpo Mira - have held back a bit so I have left them in the box, but I could see they would soon start sprouting too. Here are the 1st earlies, Mimi, on a north-facing windowsill:
And here are the 2nd earlies: Charlotte and Anya, sitting in a shower caddy I got from Wilkos for about £2.99 last year and which fits perfectly on the north-facing landing windowsill.
This morning I am in the process of making Seville orange marmalade. I wish I had given myself more than a morning to do it, I have to go out at 1pm and I am still softening the peel at 20 to 11. It is such a large quantity - 1.5kg of oranges, 9 pints of water, 4kg of sugar, I think I will have to divide it between two preserving pans otherwise it might take all day. I have washed and prepared about 20 jars. I hope it sets as I would hate to waste that amount of ingredients.
1 comment:
I always chit my potatoes on a bench next to a window. They need to always be in the light to chit, and never in the dark. As cold as possible but not frosted.
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