Purple Congo Potatoes and Brassica Plantings

Yesterday I dug up the last of my potato crops. The result is 5.5kg of weird looking (as in purple dog poo weird) purple congo potatoes from planting 500g of seed potato. This year most of my potatoes were pretty badly affected by caterpillars not to mention a malfunctioning watering system when we went on holidays. The most resilient and resistant variety by far were these purple congo. While the others wilted and drooped, these purple wonders just sent out yet more shoots and more flowers. They're definitely something I'll want to grow again (unless they taste awful!). Although from what I've heard about their weedy tendencies, it will be impossible not to re-grow them!

The cream of the crop have been allowed to dry and have been boxed up ready for storing under our house where it's nice and cool. The others that are a bit dinted or eaten in places have been washed and dried and will be kept in the kitchen for using first (below). I can't wait to start using them! From what I've read, they're fantastic in gnocchi, boiled or mashed but are not so good roasted. I think some cooking experiments are in order!

I've also started sowing and growing my brassica seedlings for winter harvesting. Here they are carefully covered with horticultural fleece to protect from the hoards of hungry white cabbage moths and harsh summer sun. So far I've planted punnets of romenesco broccoli, January king cabbage, mini cauliflower, Long Island brussel sprout, Chou Moullier kale, green Macerata cauliflower, savoy cabbage and mini wongbok.

Are you harvesting and planning for the winter?