Its time to begin the magic of Godney Royals

Due to the high number of pests in our soil, as a consequence of being under grass for so long, we really struggle to grow a number of root crops and tubers such as spuds, which is very frustrating to say the least.

This year we really wanted to grow Jersey Royals and Pink Fir Apple and optimistically bought in a total of 1,000 spuds ready for chitting in the hope that we might be able to create some pest free ground. Both varieites were looking good, the Jersey Royals, which we know as the Godney Royals, an early variety, were showing lovely shoots, with a purple hew. 

The pink fir apples a little further behind as a main crop, were also chitting well, but the shoots a little smaller.

But both were ready for planting, and with the recent shift in emphasis in our growing and so an even further increase in the demands on our time, we just won't get chance to create a pest free area on our own ground.

However with the current pandemic we feel that it is even more important for us to try to find a way to get them in the ground as spuds play such a significant part in people's diet. Racking our brains about how, we approached our neighbours, Phil and Manda Ryder, and they agreed to kindly let us use some of their wireworm free ground - a lifeline for us and the spuds indeed. So no time to waste, we loaded up the barrow, filled the back of the truck and nipped down the road a few 100ms. 

Phil had been a star and had kindly prepared the ground for us with his tractor, with trenches already excavated, all that was left for us to do was to place the spuds in the ground, rake over and mound up. Without the preparation it would've taken us so much longer and may have not even be possible to get such a large number in.

A little short of space for the number of seed potatoes we had, we crammed them in with the thought that although space length ways may be a little limited they could expand width ways.

In a matter of a few hours all spuds were in the ground and the final job was to get them covered and soil mounded up on top of the trench. A really rewarding task and one we were so pleased to be able to have the opportunity to undertake. Planting seed potatoes really is a magical process, and one that never ceases to amaze me, how one slightly shrivelled seed potato can multiply to produce up to 20 perfect potatoes - now that is magic and definitely something to look forward to, especially in these challenging times.