Page 46 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2022

Planting Jersey Royals
the traditional way
GRAEME LE MARQUAND FNVS
I decided to plant my Jersey royals on Boxing Day last year in order to lose
a bit of weight after a heavy lunch on Christmas Day. The raised bed that that I had in mind had already been smothered in vraic [ sea weed ] in September last year,soallIhadtodowastoaddsome potato fertiliser and gently fork it in which was exactly what I had done the previous year except that I had planted them a month later which was at the end of January.
This was the first time that I had planted my potatoes so early, but with global warming now being part of out everyday life I thought what the heck! They could still freeze in the coming months anyway, and let’s face it there’s nothing like producing
a Jersey Royal that has been hand dug and fed on seaweed for Easter. Beside I am a staunch believer in getting them dug before that dreaded blight comes along. However, I had taken precautions by investing in a double fleece in case of the inevitable happening.
The potatoes were planted 6 inch [15cm] apart, 3inch [8cm] deep at a width of 16 inch [41cm] between rows which would be ideal for banking / ridging later on.
On the 21st of January I uncovered my Royals just for a quick butchers to see how they had developed since Boxing Day,
and I was pleasantly surprised to see how they were coming along which was thanks to the fleece that had protected them. However I decided to give them a quick weed with my hoe as my ancestors would have done all those years ago, although there were very few weeds, at least it was good to aerate the soil.
On the 30th of January I decided to take advantage of the fine weather and bank
[ ridge ] my Royals before the weather deteriorated. I am still using my Great grand dads banking hoe which has seen better days as it’s handle is now riddled with wood worm and is probably over 100 years old.
Living out here in the wilds of the north west part of the island very close to the sea with Sark the other channel Island being about 10 miles away as the crow flies can devastate the crops with the ferocious winds that blow in, so I have taken the precaution by using my large homemade cloche which is made up of enviro mesh which I use as a windbreak which has saved the day on many occasions, so along with the fleece am hoping to get an Easter feed of Jersey Royals.
46 Simply Vegetables