Yes, I'm so Happy! 2012

[art600]

Anne

You already have one that many would envy 

[Maggi Young]

They've worked so far!

 They sure have..... and how smart they look with their snow covering. Just think of all those cosy, safe plants under there.... does your heart good to see it.

[annew]

It does make pollinating a bit difficult at the moment. Does a stigma have to be warm for the pollen tube to grow? That's the downside of bulbs in baskets - it's not easy to bring inside for pollination.

[Martin Baxendale]

It does make pollinating a bit difficult at the moment. Does a stigma have to be warm for the pollen tube to grow? That's the downside of bulbs in baskets - it's not easy to bring inside for pollination.

I avoid pollination during very frosty weather if the flowers aren't being kept frost-free under cover, in case the frost damages the pollen as it grows down the stigma. I don't know if the pollen needs warmth to pollinate but I worry that its growth down the tubes might be very fragile and susceptible to frost damage.

[annew]

You're probably right, Martin. I only just saw this posting. It was sunny and warmish(!) this afternoon, and the plants in the frames had lots of pollen running, so I spent an hour on my knees in the snow pollinating, then closed the frames up again quickly to retain some heat. The things we do for seeds. I'm now crossing my fingers. I can always do it all again later if the weather improves, but didn't want to miss my chance.

[Martin Baxendale]

I should think the pollen will have germinated and grown down the tubes to the ovules by the time the frost comes back tomorrow night. Anthony Darby once answered a question I asked about speed of growth of pollen down the stigma tubes of flowers by saying that under a microscope you could actually see it moving, so it must be pretty fast. And once the ovules are fertilised it should be okay. Anyway, your frames look quite well insulated and the frosts aren't supposed to be as hard as last week.

[Maren]

Anne,

please can we have the plans and materials list for your snow frames? After the recent snow falls which crashed all my small tunnels, I am now in the business of making something more sturdy. Having just finished potting up 5,000 pleiones , I am left with time on my hands. A frame project would be most welcome.

[annew]

I'll go out and take photos of its construction if the weather is OK tomorrow. I should have taken photos as I went along, but then you'd have seen all the backward steps and alterations I had to make to my original plan!

[johnw]

Had a wonderful potatoe for supper this evening, Vales Sovereign.  Turns out it was bred in Scotland.  We rarely see UK varieties in the stores here due to the ban on importing potatoe varieties from Europe and beyond.  It is said to be tolerant of warm or cold, dry or wet.  They were without blemishes and having been grown in Prince Edward Island this is amazing, PEI had a terrible season with little sun, extreme rains and cold temperatures.

Now I suppose someone will tell me it has E.A.Bowles' genes. Don't laugh.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Never heard of it.... and it was bred about 70 miles away!  But I know Henry Taylor will have! He worked at SCRI Mylnefield.

http://varieties.potato.org.uk/display_description.php?variety_name=Vales%20Sovereign

[maggiepie]

Had a wonderful potatoe for supper this evening, Vales Sovereign.  Turns out it was bred in Scotland.  We rarely see UK varieties in the stores here due to the ban on imported potatoe varieties from Europe and beyond.  It is said to be tolerant of warm or cold, dry or wet.  They were without blemishes and having been grown in Prince Edward Island this is amazing, PEI had a terrible season with little sun, extreme rains and cold temperatures.

Now I suppose someone will tell me it has E.A.Bowles' genes. Don't laugh.

johnw

John, how was the potato cooked?
Are they floury or waxy?
Have you tried the blue potatoes?
We were able to get them at the farmers market in Moncton about 7 years ago then they disappeared.
Blue flesh with a much heavier texture more like a sweet potato but very good.

[johnw]

Maggi - Did you notice the pink marks round the eyes?  Not a disease, ours were identical.

Here's another link which is much more effusive:

http://plantingseeds.org/Planting_Seeds/vales-sovereign-the-new-king-of-great-british-potatoes/

I don't know how it would stack up against the wonderful varieties you have over there.  Isn't Paddy a potatoe connoisseur?  

johnw

[johnw]

Helen - They are not floury or starchy but very tasty. Threw them in a slow cooker stew about 45 minutes before the end. They're awfully pretty too, most varieties have been in very poor shape this year.

They came in a blue and clear plastic bag, Rustic Comfort by Foodtrust (they have a website foodtrust.com).  Two five pound bags for $4; I know you will say you can buy a 50lb bag of potatoes for $25 up there.

johnw

[johnw]

Helen  - If you remind me in April I will send you a few Pink Fir Apples (with an impeccable lineage I might add) to get going up there. Wow what a taste, knobby little fingers though and unpeelable.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Maggi - Did you notice the pink marks round the eyes?  

We only get pink eyes after a heavy night out.