You can buy so-called "new" potatoes in the supermarkets all year round these days, but I think many of them have been artificially preserved (maybe in cold storage?) and they often seem tasteless. Nothing compares with home-grown new potatoes fresh out of the earth:
I'm deliberately picking my potatoes while they are still very small and tender, so this is actually the yield from two pots. It's probably more than we need for two servings, but I didn't think the yield from one pot was enough. It's noticeable that the skins were a lot paler just after I took them out of the ground than they were a few hours later when I was preparing them to be cooked.
As soon as the potatoes were harvested I refilled the containers with compost and planted some more potatoes, because I have six "Charlotte" seed tubers that were left over from the Spring planting. They look OK, but raring to go, having been held back for so long:
Just look at these - the finest pair of chits I have seen in a long time! :)
I'm hopeful that these late-planted tubers will give me a crop in about late September, which would be very nice indeed.
I love new potatoes when they are really very young. No need to peel off the skin, it goes simply off by rubbing them while washing. I love it when they looks like small balls. I just cook them in salted water, throw them into a pan, add some oil and chopped dill. Fry for awhile and serve.
ReplyDeleteOh those home grown potatoes look so good...can’t wait for mine but it will be a few weeks more yet...
ReplyDeleteOh, what a beautiful crop, Mark! I wander if I plant potatoes now, will they grow? It is very hot for germination I am afraid...
ReplyDeleteMarina, I find mine don't set tubers in our summer - its too hot for them. They grow best for me if I plant in late winter and then harvest early summer, they also produce over winter. You could try sowing them in late summer if your fall temps aren't too hot.
DeleteThese look good enough to eat Mark!!! The men in my house are huge potato salad fans and these would be perfect for that! Quickly boiled, a little mayo, black pepper and finely chopped spring onions ....YUM!!! xxx
ReplyDeleteGood idea to plant more potato tubers. Some of my bag potatoes are flowering so not long and I will harvest. Can't wait to see what I get.
ReplyDeleteWe've started harvesting our potatoes too and were remarking about the skill of the supermarkets to manage to source such tasteless tubers.
ReplyDeleteahhh... gently boiled and served with melting butter... divine... or roasted... I LOVE roasted new pots... yummy!... I harvested a couple of broad beans yesterday... woot woot!
ReplyDeleteA fine harvest Mark - I dug up some more outdoor Charlottes this morning - can't believe how well they have done despite the weather. I planted some potatoes out in the grow sacks this morning in the hope of getting a late crop.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great harvest!
ReplyDeleteThey look beautiful. I was out speakign severly to my plants today trying to hurry them along, I haven't had any new potatoes for a couple of months and I'm missing them.
ReplyDeleteThose are gorgeous! Looking forward to tipping out one of the potato bags
ReplyDeleteWow...have never grown potatoes but have been discussing it lately. I have never seen potatoes look like that with "chits" that big? Is that normal? What did you do to get them like that? Sorry,, for so many questions, I am a newbie when it comes to growing potatoes, and I am trying to acquire as much information as possible before next growing season.
ReplyDeleteHi DesertSnowdrop; The huge chits on the Charlotte tubers are accidental really. I had those 6 tubers left over after I had planted-up all my available containers back in the Spring, and I just kept them in my garage until now. The garage is light but not very light, and warm but not very warm, so the potatoes have not shrivelled up too badly. Why not use the "Search this blog" facility on my page? I have written a fair bit about growing potatoes, and some of it may be of assistance to you. Good luck with yours, BTW.
DeleteHi Mark. I definitely will take you up on your suggestion about searching your blog! I remember reading something here, I don't know if it was last year or the beginning of this year...but I will find it.;)
DeleteThanks,
Christina
Lovely crop, not a variety we've tried. I agree that the taste of freshly harvested new potatoes is unlike anything you can buy in the shops, quite wonderful.
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