New Allotment, new member

[Clarabel]

Hello,

I'm brand new here and will go say hello on the other board in a mo, however I had a quick question.

We've just got an allotment which is fairly overgrown, we're working to get it cleared and try and get at least some stuff planted this year (feels very much like racing against the clock here!) I really really wanted to get some potatos in, but I can't find seed potatos anywhere, is it really too late? Oh say it ain't so!

Would it be worth buying some potatoes and trying to chit those? Bearing in mind we had a fairly late frost this year up in Scotland which I'm hoping will work in our favour and mean we still have time to plant stuff.

Our computer is currently broken so I need to go to a easyeverything to check the internet, so I'm not being anti-social if I don't get a chance to respond quickly, please be patient with me!

Thanks,

Clarabel

[Andy Hamilton]

normal shop bought potatoes will grow, they are more likely to get blight though. Saying that I have grown from the greengrocers finest a few times and done ok. the yeilds also seem to be a bit smaller.

[Muddypause]

I might be entirely wrong about this, but I thought Scotland was blight-free, for some reason, hence most seed potatoes come from there.

Or have I just been sold another yarn?

Anyway, welcome Clarabel.

[ina]

but I can't find seed potatos anywhere, is it really too late?

Hi Clarabel, and welcome!

Sunny Scotland? Don't tell me the sun is shining in Glasgow! I do have a few seed potatoes left, a dozen or so - my friend had bought too many, and I took pity on them, sticking them into any spare corner in the garden and any container I could find! But I don't suppose you'd be coming up to Aberdeen in the next week or so... Maybe I could send them? You could just use ordinary tatties - but it's too late to bother with chitting, and they might be treated with something that prevents them from sprouting.

And nope, Stew - Scotland is not blight free! This garden has had blight for years - the neighbours gave up trying to grow potatoes. I've moved them into another part of the place this year, and have blight resistant varieties.

Btw - I shouldn't complain. We've had some sunny spells this afternoon.

[gunners71uk]

some seed potatoes on ebay
www.ebay.co.uk

[oddballdave]

I might be entirely wrong about this, but I thought Scotland was blight-free, for some reason, hence most seed potatoes come from there.

Or have I just been sold another yarn?

Anyway, welcome Clarabel.

Blight is carried by aphids.
The seed-potato growing areas of Scotland are very windy so relatively aphid free.
Hence very low incidence of blight in certain parts of Scotland, Hurrah!

[Clarabel]

Managed to get some stuff planted today, feels great now just have to cross our fingers and hope it grows!

And, obviously back to the digging for the next bed!

Clarabel

[Clarabel]

After disappearing for a couple of weeks (I had some sort of nasty viral thing that was extremely unpleasent in the heat we've had) I've returned, and finally got back down to the allotment so its not all being left to the OH.

And we have some baby plants! Ironically the happiest looking one is one thats grown from a dropped seed which I almost pulled up as a weed

I'll admit to starting to garden with my back to the rest of the allotment as it is still mostly hidiously overgrown but we are getting there. I've also managed to get a sunburnt back today d'oh!

Clarabel

[Millie]

oh hugs, i can sympathise! i am so sore from my sunburnt back

keep with your back to the lottie and keep going, before you know it you will be sorted!

[ina]

Hi Clarabel - sorry to hear you were sick... Those viral infections are hell, especially when the weather has finally turned warm and you want to be anywhere else but your bed!
Did the tatties arrive at all? If not, they'll be rotting away at the postoffice somewhere...

[Ranter]

I also got a sunburnt back over the weekend, bet there's a lot of us.