One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four. April 10th

Plant your taters when you will
They won’t come up until April

Early potatoes will nowabouts be ready, says Charles Kightly in the Perpetual Calendar of Folklore.

Potatoes were imported to Spain from Peru in the early l6th Century. Sir Walter Raleigh brought them to Britain and Ireland. He had them planted on his estate near Cork, Ireland in 1586. Raleigh was not impressed, he tried the berries, but they possess the narcotic properties of Deadly Nightshade. Or so Mrs Grieve says in ‘A Modern Herbal’. He ordered the potatoes to be rooted up, which his Gardener did. But he discovered the tubers, found them to be wholesome and the rest is history.

The Tubers are not the roots, which is why they are not poisonous. They are underground stems which, shortened and thickened, store starch for the use of the plant. The English and Irish took to them and originally called them Potatoes of Virginia to distinguish them from Sweet Potatoes. The Continent was slower to succumb

‘The use of these potatoes was forbidden in Burgundy (where they call them Indian artichokes) for that they were persuaded the too frequent use of them caused the Leprosy).‘

Gerard Herbal 1597

Mrs Grieves Modern Herbal

I frequently quote Mrs Grieve. She was born in Upper Street, Islington. She moved to India, had a lifelong interest in Herbs. Back in England at Chalfont St Peters she set up a nursery. But changed it to a herb farm at the outbreak of World War 1. She wanted to help fill the shortfall in medicines caused by disruption of normal trade. She participated in various bodies promoting the medicinal use of Herbs, and published:

Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses

I came across it when I was director of the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret. I managed the Museum for 25 years and had to prepare displays and lectures. Mrs Grieve was almost a constant companion. She not only gives you everything about the plant, and its medicinal uses. But also gives great quotes from people like Pliny, Dioscorides, Culpepper, Gerard etc. John Fowles, author of the French Lieutenant’s Woman, was another admirer of the rich references in Mrs Grieves Modern Herbal. He was also the Curator of the Lyme Regis Museum for 10 years. If you want to buy a copy I would suggest looking for a second hand copy at Abebooks. (£20).

Medical benefits of Potatoes

Mrs Grieve says, although potatoes don’t do much for growing muscles, it does have citric acid. This helps against scurvy and potatoes have a lot of phosphorus, more than apples. She makes the point that it is paramount to keep the skin on the potato while cooking. Otherwise, one half of the goodness is lost. (the skin also contains the Deadly Nightshade chemicals, but it is dissipated during cooking, you will be relieved to know.)

Put a Raw Potato in your pocket!

Potatoes were thought to be good against rheumatism. Ladies ‘in former times’ had special pockets in bags and dresses to put small potatoes in. Experiments, she says, show that Gout and Rheumatism can be reduced by potato juice. Also, good for sprains. Peeled and pounded potatoes were used as a poultice helped with burns. She also praises Potato Brandy, and potato flour for making cakes.

Now, this was written in 1931 so don’t take her word for it. Modern science says that potatoes are a source of polyphenols, and should not be, nutritionally, looked down upon.

One Potato

My family had potatoes for every main meal, very rarely having anything like pasta or rice as a carbohydrate. As children:

‘One potato, two potato, three potato, four
Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more‘

Was used all the time. All the participating kids put their ‘spuds out’ – their fists. The counter counted the fists to the rhyme above. When ‘more’ was said, the fist that had been hit was put behind the back.

Repeat

Until only one fist is left, and that person is IT. The rest of us would un away to hide or chase or whatever game we might be playing.

Here is a very annoying character leading singing of ‘One Potato, two potato, three potato, four‘. But please spare yourself for starting watch at 1 minute 25.

For more from Mrs Grieve, see my post here.

First Published on April 10th 2026