St Patrick’s Day - and potatoes!
■ This Sunday (17 March) is St Patrick’s Day. In Ireland it’s considered to be the traditional time to plant potatoes. Actually, it’s the first early potato varieties – such as ‘Duke of York’, ‘Arran Pilot’, ‘Pentland Javelin’ and ‘Premiere’ – that should go in the ground on this day, but don’t be shy to plant peas, onions and leeks, too.
Wow! I didn’t know that…
■ The first types of plant cuttings humans grew were ready rooted suckers, pulled unceremoniously from parent plants, and planted in the ground. These are still used today with violas, chrysanthemums and artichokes, and they’re known as ‘Irishman’s cuttings’ – but no-one knows why!
■ On St Patrick’s Day in 1976, Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon, USA…
