Seed potato famine or feast?

Did I panic? I think I panicked!

There’s an old tradition that potatoes should be planted at Easter. Perhaps this is because in days gone by the religious holiday would have been one of the few opportunities labouring folk would have had to do it or perhaps it’s something to do with planting by the phases of the moon. Whatever the reason and regardless of the fact that there is a full calendar month between the earliest and latest possible dates for Easter, many people do plant them at that time. I’m no exception.

I don’t usually buy my seed potatoes until two or three weeks before I’m going to plant them, and it’s my custom to go to a garden centre in a town a few miles away to make my selections. They sell seed potatoes by weight, unpackaged. They have scores of varieties and customers can select as many as they like, one of each if they want. You chose your varieties, write a label with the paper and pencils provided and place in paper bags ready for weighing at the till. All very traditional.

I pour over the selection like an bookworm in a library. First early, second early, maincrop. Waxy or floury. Good for chipping, mashing, roasting or salads. White, red or purple skinned. Blight resistant, scab resistant, worm resistant. The choice is endless and fascinating.

I’ll make my selection with the good intention of recording how well each one does for future reference but I usually forget to make any notes when I harvest and end up working from my unreliable memory, basically starting from scratch annually.

This year is different. With Covid-19 lockdown rules I feared I wouldn’t be able to travel to the next town and I also wondered if Brexit would affect supplies (though with many suppliers being in Scotland, it seems more likely that seed potatoes will be finding it difficult to leave the country rather than get in) I was contemplating buying my supply a bit early. Then, when I was at the allotment at the weekend, a neighbour announced ‘They’ve got seed potatoes at Wilko!’

I threw my spade into the shed, locked up, and headed into town and picked up a bag each of Pentland Javelin, Nicola and Albert Bartlett Rooster, as recommended by my neighbour. Less of a choice of varieties than usual and in quantities I won’t be able to use, but in true allotment spirit I will give the extras away.

Will there be a seed potato famine I wonder, or will my potato panic prove pointless? Time will tell, but either way we’re ready to plant. Roll on Easter!