The boys and my potatoes

Its 7 years since I managed a photo of all the Family boys together . I got a great surprise a few weeks ago whilst I was  quietly potting on my Italian Plum Tomato seedlings (San Marzano). First my son and partner  arrived, a surprise from Brighton,  then spouse, then grandsons on bikes and then son in law. I realised I had not enough seats for holding a salon on the allotment , I had not enough mugs and the kettle was too small. 

That has all been rectified, I have brought more mugs and Ikea plastic beakers from home and Bernard my allotment partner has  brought us a garden table and chairs , thoughtfully weighed down against the very strong Filey winds.
 I wonder what else Bernard will be bringing . He marries Queenie in a few weeks and will be moving into her flat .  I see that pieces of wood are arriving , and a new assortment of Flower Pots. Bernard and Queenie are over 80 , and we are all delighted that he is going to have  a new partner in life. We've been Boxing and Coxing together on the allotment for over 4 years now in true G and S efficiency . We occasionally meet over the tea tray.  I follow his every direction and copy everything he does in the cultivation of Potatoes. I have never before been able to grow them on my part of our shared plot , they have always been ruined by slugs, but this year as I have taken over Dave's new plot to add to our empire  I have managed small rows of First earlies, Arran Pilot, Main Crop , Charlotte, and a row of Pink Fir Apple salad potatoes. I have adapted Bernard's method , sand and manure BUT I've done   the addition of a layer of comfrey leaves under the chitted potatoes prior to making the trench . Thanks go to Dave here for the fantastic bed of Comfrey. I'm also trying potatoes in Gro-sacks,  from the Marshalls Catalogue.  I am fascinated by the instruction  booklet, and keep looking at it, hoping that I'm adding the compost in the right way as I worry that I've covered up some of the foliage in a rough way . Common sense  is taking over, they are only potatoes for goodness sake! 


Addendum . I publish this post and see that it has crossed with Michaels post about their visit to Yorkshire too