Wednesday 6th June - Apples, potatoes, and my mother

My mother was told that if you keep an apple in with your potatoes, it stops them from putting out all those irritating hairy rootlets.

She tried it, and it works!

So, for once, I did as I was told, and put an apple in with my potatoes. It works! My potatoes live in a black fabric bag in the vacuum cleaner cupboard in the kitchen - not a hugely convenient home, but the best I can do. Last week, we bought a plastic bag of potatoes and threw them in, still sealed up in their bag, on top of the half dozen leftover spuds and The Apple. Yesterday, I went to get some potatoes, and found that the fresh ones, still in the plastic bag, are now all ready for planting out, whereas the old ones are still round and sound and, more importantly, bald. That apple had been there for about a month or so, and was wrinkled, but not rotten.

I have cooked the older potatoes, put the newer ones out on the windowsill in empty egg boxes to await planting, and retired the apple to the compost bin.

So, Useful Top Tip; keep an apple in with your potaotes,