First earlies earlier today.

Pentland Javelin seeds chitting away on the kitchen windowsill.

 

And the winners were…

Kerr Pink arriving at the OHSMPVAS. A winner despite a roasting from some critics.

Now that the OSCARS, the BAFTAS and the IFTAS are done and dusted, it’s time to turn our attention to the 100 Square Metres’ Potato Variety Awards 2013 (OHSMPVAS). The inaugural ceremony took place last night to honour the potato varieties that have been chosen to grow at 100 Square Metres in 2013. The winners are pictured here. Be warned, flash photography was used in this report.

Red Duke of York was rewarded for a vigorous performance.

“Fleshy” New York Times, “Creamy” The Guardian… just some of the accolades received by our third winner, Maris Peer.

The always simmering Maris Piper.

Pentland Javelin triumphed in the ‘Good All Rounder’ category.

Posterized Potatoes.

Epicure, first earlies… kitchen window sill.

Yes, it’s chitting time! These potatoes should have been on the window sills a couple of weeks ago (when I bought the seeds) but I left them in the boot of the car for a week, and then on the hall floor for another week. They appear to be chitting away happily despite this negligence. There is a little bit of mould here and there, no doubt from being left in the packaging for so long, in the hot car boot.

They are on the window sills now, waiting to be interred on Paddy’s Day. I have three varieties at the moment, Charlotte (second earlies), Epicure (first earlies) and Kerr Pinks (main crop). I will probably try one more main crop variety, without chitting, to see if it makes any difference.

I tried to take some half decent photos but was unhappy with the results, so I added a ‘posterizing’ effect in Photoshop. It’s actually the ‘Cutout’ filter but I think ‘Posterized Potatoes’ makes for a better title.

Charlotte, second earlies… bedroom window sill.

Charlotte… landing window sill.

Charlotte… bedroom window sill.