The unexpected crops are always the best. This afternoon I set out to dig over the potato bed by the wall, adding compost and eventually sowing with green manure seeds. What I was not expected was a generous crop of Sarpo Mira potatoes hiding forgotten in the soil.

These are potatoes from self-seeded plants. The last time we planted Sarpo Mira in that bed was at least two years ago. The plants must have grown from the tiny seed potatoes that appear on potato plants towards the end of the season. It’s apparently not great to leave them in the soil as they are susceptible to blight. But Sarpo Mira is a pretty blight-free variety.

I cleared the bed completely today and sowed rye grass and phacelia. A warm week or so is forecast so I’m hoping the seeds will germinate well. Come the spring, we’ll dig the plants in and they should provide nutrients for whatever we decide to plant there. Sadly, I think the soil needs a break from potatoes.