Kitchen Garden Forum

Sadly the nursery where we used to purchase loose seed potatoes has closed down.

There is a potato weekend being held in Hampshire yesterday and today where you can buy loose tubers as well as 2 & 2.5kg bags.
We went last year and did not enjoy it, far too crowded for our liking, battled to get near the spuds and as it turned out there was a shortage of the variety we wanted. Wasn't easy trying to pick them over and select which ones you wanted.

One of the exhibitors at the weekend has a large garden centre in Oxfordshire that we have never visited, so yesterday we made a lengthy trip out.
Took just over an hour to get there, and on the way whilst on the M4 we passed through junction 13 that leads to another garden centre a mile off the motorway that we have never visited.

Got to our destination, disappointment, what loose seed spuds there were were absolutely mank, marbles or few in number.

Decided to buy 2.5 kg bags instead as they had the 4 varieties we were looking for. Cost £13.45

Set off back for home, on journey back, by avoiding motorway, we actually would pass the other garden centre so decided to call in.

OH MY>> STUPID ME !!!!! Why on earth didn't we call into that garden centre on the way out instead of on way back !!!!

They had loose seed potatoes and they were excellent, I kid you not, they were that good that if you put them on show bench they'd win prizes, clean, unblemished, not a mark. Not cheap mind, pick your own at £2.25 per kilo. They also had the four varieties we wanted.

The journey distance would have been less than a quarter that of the centre we went to.

Mrs S has made notes for next year, meanwhile I am extremely annoyed with myself. although I'm sure we will be visiting again this year for other things. It seemed a nice little outlet, part of a major private country estate

Pa Snip. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Shallot Man wrote:Pa Snip. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The garden centre being part of a large country estate we did catch sight of some hinds on our way out

I've the opposite I went to wilkies 2 weeks ago I bought 8 kilos of four different types early and lates £2-50 for 2 kilos ,I had forgotten that in November I ordered 8 kilos from a syndicate not far from were we live colloquially known as the hut ,last weekend my mate turned up with my order four different varieties at £1-50 for 2 kilos ,I've got spuds for half the plot

As long as you don't get so annoyed with yourself you end up with a chip on your shoulder.

Par for the course alas Pa! Set out to buy something and you often find something cheaper or better at the next place you visit . Still, I suppose it,s better than returning empty handed. It will be Sod’s law that next year you visit the garden centres in reverse order and the first one will have little of what you want or you’ll get there and find it’s closed down !

They are cheap enough to pass on I don't know why I forgot I had ordered some from the hut it just can't be beat on price but it is all run by volunteers ,the idea is if you have to much of anything you donate it that's why they sell trays of flowers and vegetables for 50 pence ,elephant garlic is the same price when they have it a full bulb for 50 pence

You are not alone Robo. Was on the plot today when lady that ran the ordering came up and said my potatoes have arrived. I had completely forgotten about them when I brought some from local garden centre a couple of weeks ago.

You lot brighten up the dullest of days, so thank you.

Still got to purchase my seed potatoes....maybe tomorrow...now what ones won't they have...

My spuds also came today (via the lottie shop). I don't know what I had in my mind when I selected them, but a bit of research at home & I'm actually quite pleased and looking forward to trying them. I got Ulster Sceptre, Harmony, Picasso & Valor, still got to get some Jazzy for my 2nd early, which I liked last year, but all the others are new to me.

robo wrote:They are cheap enough to pass on I don't know why I forgot I had ordered some from the hut it just can't be beat on price but it is all run by volunteers ,the idea is if you have to much of anything you donate it that's why they sell trays of flowers and vegetables for 50 pence ,elephant garlic is the same price when they have it a full bulb for 50 pence

robo. Maybe you should put more tonic in the glass.

Shallot Man wrote:

robo wrote:They are cheap enough to pass on I don't know why I forgot I had ordered some from the hut it just can't be beat on price but it is all run by volunteers ,the idea is if you have to much of anything you donate it that's why they sell trays of flowers and vegetables for 50 pence ,elephant garlic is the same price when they have it a full bulb for 50 pence

robo. Maybe you should put more tonic in the glass.

Ahhh, now Shallot Man has the real answer, it wasn't a mistake on robo's part at all
The extra spuds he ordered are to make Pochine

I think half a pint of tonic is enough it only leaves a little bit of room for the gin then again it is equal measures

Some years ago in Ireland we were over for a weeks competition fishing on the practice days we fished for Pollack and ling both are very nice eating ,we swapped fish for bottles of pochine quite a few bottles this was before they imposed hefty fines if you were caught with a bottle, the whole week was a blare on our memories but somehow we won the fishing competition

robo wrote:I think half a pint of tonic is enough it only leaves a little bit of room for the gin then again it is equal measures

My rugby Club has started stocking "Sip smith" Gin. Nector of the Gods.