[DD.]

I've got to leave space for the extra peas, reckon I might get up to about 300' of them this year.

[Katri25]

Just bought my seed taters today yesterday, some early, some seconds and some mains. Got 100 in total, a bit ambitious for me but I need an incentive to dig some new beds! My question is, they aren't organic, but if I grow them on organically with no chemicals etc. will they be any different to organic spuds?

[mumofstig]

In a word no   

[mparveen]

For someone's who's taken on a nice sized allotment (in August last year) I've got 4 varieties of spuds which I bought 4 weeks ago.  I put mine into plant trays which have housed all of the seeds.  So far found one that has slightly deformed with no chits on them at all 

3 rows of pentland javelin,
3 rows of estima
4 rows of maris piper
4 rows of desiree

Prepared the largest plot for the mains and need to weed out the plot for the 1st and 2nd  earlies

[Growster...]

'Charlotte' and 'Sharpes Express' here, from a local GC.

I see some of the deliveries are taking their time - that really is infuriating, and after waiting for months from M******** one year, said never again.

And we never did.

[Growster...]

/me runs for cover 

Quick over here behind the sofa !   

I have a serious case of 'meh' .. about spuds too.

It's quite alright you know! 
I always say grow what you like to eat - but on modern small plots some crops just don't pay their way.
I now feel that way about onions, my last try with overwintered ones has been a disaster, so I won't bother again - especially when they are sooooo cheap to buy

Our local Twongos sells a decent bag of pretty good carrots for a quid.

I just cannot grow that sort of quality, and in any case, they'd have all gone long before now!

We are trying them in big pots up on a platform this year, as that way, the soil surface will be about 2' off the ground, and I'm hoping that the fly get altitude sickness at that height...

That, and a headache from the netting over the top!

[DD.]

Is that a decent bag of carrots, or a bag of decent carrots?

There's a world of difference and it's called flavour. When I was doing some carrot soup the other week, Mrs Digger walked into the kitchen as said - "You can smell those carrots" - that's the difference between supermarket & home grown.

[Katri25]

In a word no   

great!

I heard on the radio last week that it's possible to grow potatoes by planting a peeling with an eye on it - has anyone had any luck with this? Also cutting the seed into sections to get more.

[DD.]

Well known technique, tried in war time and later years when things were really tight. You run the risk of introducing rot into the potato and given the seed spuds are not that expensive, personally I fell it's not worth the risk.

[Katri25]

Good point, I think mine worked out at about 8p each. Still, might do an experiment anyway just out of curiosity.

[Nikkithefoot]

Last year I took a chance and planted my first earlies about this time (20th Feb) as I had a week off work and the weather was benign. I was very very lucky and managed to avoid the frosts due to careful earthing up and covering with fleece when it was forecast in April and May. They didn't actually start showing shoots above ground until 27th March.

I am going to do the same again this year, as it fits in with me. I'll be following with the late spuds as I find time. Should all be in by end of March weather permitting.

I certainly wouldn't consider putting them in anywhere inland away from the coast this early.