Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Monday, August 15, 2011

All Things Pink!

I dug up just one plant of my late maincrop Pink Fir Apple potatoes. An amazing yield! one plant filled this plastic seed tray! Fairly knobbly, and some of the tubers resemble the shape of Jerusalem Artichokes. This can make them a bit difficult to clean and prepare, but there is a cross breed potato called Anya which is less knobbly. It is a cross between pink fir apple and Desiree. You can see Anya for sale in the supermarkets.
The catalogues state that this variety as a late maincrop is ready in October! Well, like many crops this year it appears to be 2 months early! The plant growth above the ground has been approaching 4ft tall and I had to stake them in order to prevent them falling over and covering other crops. We've had some good sunshine and some good rain this season, it is a good year for potatoes for me.
The taste and texture are simply amazing! A really firm, waxy potato with an amazing flavour. These are headed for a potato salad today!
Whilst weeding, I also uncovered a monster beetroot! This was growing among my long, Cylindra beetroot. Perhaps it was a stray seed! I think I am going to try pickling beetroot, I think I will invent pickled beetroot in horseradish vinegar... how does that sound?

11 Comments:

At 3:13 PM, Blogger Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

It sounds pretty good to me..I've never seen potatoes like your pinks! You have had a good harvest..

 
At 6:20 PM, Anonymous Kate said...

mmm! Sounds like a winning combination... I love beets and I love horseradish but never thought to put them together.

 
At 7:06 PM, Blogger mrspao said...

Pink Fir Apples are delicious. I had some yesterday :)

 
At 7:09 PM, Blogger Midmarsh John said...

At first glance at the first photo I thought Matron had bought some piglets ;)

I see the boss was giving them the once over.

 
At 8:20 PM, Blogger Rob said...

WOW! That't what I call a beetroot! The way you talk I think you must have had a drop more rain than us as we've hardly had a drop all summer. We had some one night last week but you wouldn't tell now. The good thing is I've hardly had to do any mowing also it's been great for keeping on top of the weeds.

 
At 11:00 PM, Anonymous lapis said...

I love Pink Fir Apple♪
Good for potato salad.

I've just dug up Red Duke of York,
and waiting for Highland Burgundy Red.    

Sounds interestingー pickled beetroot in horseradish vinegar!

 
At 8:11 AM, Blogger suburban veg gardener said...

I love pickled beetroots - and horseradish vinegar sounds just what they've been waiting for!

 
At 10:43 AM, Blogger Sue Garrett said...

WE have really suffered from lack of rain - our potato tops were pathetic but happily we still have had a good crop.

 
At 10:50 AM, Blogger Kath said...

I've grown PFA and Anya too. They both make delicious potato salad - a real delight at this time of year!

 
At 1:40 PM, Blogger Lrong Lim said...

The potatoes do resemble Jerusalem artichokes... and wow, that giant beet...

 
At 8:55 AM, Blogger melsanford said...

Those potatoes look fantastic and that beetroot is enormous!!! :-) Love 'n' hugs, Mel xx

 

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