Grow your own
toxin-free ‘apples
of the earth’

PREPARE THE eyes of
March.

Phase do not take this as a
sinister warning of impending
doom. | simply wish to point out
that the month of March is the
best time to begin planting your

potatoes.
I think the old wive’s talc that
j accuses the ‘spud’ as a
Prime reason for so many sightings
of beached beluges during the
summer months, has finally been
recognized as untruc.

There are two methods of
classification for potatoes. The
three harvesting periods are early,
second carly and main crop. Or,
by the texture of the tuber, floury
or waxy.

Waxy potatoes are lower in
starch, firmer and best for boiling
or steaming. The floury varieties
have a fluffy texture when cooked
and are best for baking, mashing,
and frying.

The best of the earlies are
Norland, which is a fine, red-skin-
ned variety, and Early Warba with

over the

garden gate

We now ere the ‘apple of the
earth’ as an excellent source of
fat-free, cerbohydrates and food
energy. Mind you, if you like to
smother your spud in butter, sour
cream, and bacon bits, be prepared
to ‘enlarge’ your wardrobe regu-

If you like potatoes and fresh,
ical-free produce, try growing
your own this year. Most garden
centres will have an excellent selec-
tion of certified, disease-free
varieties available during the
month of March.

Do not use those that are sold as
foud in the grocery stores; they are
usually treated with chemicals that
inhibit rprouting. Yet another
reazon to grow your own.

Geoff Tobiasson

fine white flesh and shallow cyes.

Caribe is a new, pink-skinned
variety that is getting good
reviews.

For second early Norgold
Russet's Noury texture make it one
of the best for baking. Yukon
Gold is a new yellow-fleshed
potato with a good flavor. Other
old favorites include White Rose
and the red-skinned Pontiac.

main crop varieties are
Kennebec, Russet Burbank, also
known as Netted Gem, and Bintje,
a newly introduced yellow-fleshed
variety from Holland.

You will soon see the Banana
Potato, a small, yellow-fleshed,
waxy type, which is said to pro-
duce heavy yields.

Potatoes like fertile, acid, well-
drained soil, six or more hours of
sun per day, and sufficient space
(about three square feet per plant).
They will also require a certain
amount of work to prepare, main-
tain, and harvest the beds.

Potatoes do not like lime nor
would you enjoy the corky-skinn-

ths and has a pH factor of five to
six.

3

ese

cuts to dry, thereby
risk of 7ot.

Ely:

Across from Venice Bakery

Main Street

11 - Friday, March 10, 1989 — North Skore News

presence of solanine, a
naturally produced toxic
scbstance

It is important to keep the soil

Tat

What place has 3

million people and 50

million sheep?

ANSWER:{

New Zealand

~ Burritt Br

Open Monday.

r