As you may have realised by now if you have read my previous articles,which include stories of potato charts, treasure hunts and childhood memories, I have a slight thing for potatoes, growing them more than eating them. Unless it’s mash! This isn’t just because there is a potato variety called ‘Annabelle’ either, which I must say is delicious in potato salads. So, I thought it’s about time, especially as we are at harvesting time, that I dedicate a whole feature to the treasure that is the potato.
On that note, I have been reading about the history of potatoes, their origin and the huge part they had to play in helping to end famine in many countries. For many farmers across the world, potatoes were seen as more productive compared with grains, due to the fact that they grow underground. If wheat or rice plants grew too big and fell over or if the wind broke them, the results were fatal and devastating whereas once they get going, potato tubers aren’t so impacted by the rest of the plant and changing weather.
POTATO FACTOID
Potatoes apparently provide more calories per acre than any other crop... so, if you ever need to grow food to survive and have limited space, potatoes should be your trusty friend.
WHERE FROM?
Denne historien er fra July 2021-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra July 2021-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
