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| Allotment Advice For serious vegetable growers |
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10-09-2007, 12:40 PM
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 Tastiest Potatoes Has anybody got any views on tastiest potatoes? I did grow Rocket (did not like flavour and some rotted, due to weather) Charlotte, one of my favourities, also Kestrel, both were good. Charlotte slightly better flavour than Kestrel, but Kestrel had a better crop. Have got some maincrop but cannot remember the name of them, I did not mark them and have a head like a sieve. The potatoes are very small, very tasty, white potatoes with pink blotches on skin. I am starting to plan for next year and would like your view on best performance and of cause taste. Best Wishes Liz      |
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10-09-2007, 01:12 PM
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| Lizzy, withouth doubt Annabelle, which is an early. It's doesn't give the largest harvest but such a lovely flavour. Watched an episode of "Grow Your Own Veg" on UK something which was showing it all day Sunday and it's the favourite of Carol too. My mains were Cara but I've had a bad crop from them, not their fault it's the slugs  They tasted great but I had to lift them all early so still small and 'holey'....Will be trying Red Fir next year as heard good things. Plus some other varieties but not decided yet, that's a cold winter's evening job with a few brochures....
__________________ An onion can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people laugh. Will Rogers |
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10-09-2007, 02:22 PM
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| Thanks for that, might try Annabelle next year. Have you tried putting some rhubarb next to your potatoes when planting? I have done this for the last two years, not every potato excapes slugs but I find it does help. I break sume rhubard stems up and put two pieces (one each side of the potato) in when planting. |
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10-09-2007, 03:20 PM
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| Interesting, I may try that then..... Would have been fine but for our site getting flooded earlier in the year, ever since then I've been riddled with the blighters...
__________________ An onion can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people laugh. Will Rogers |
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10-09-2007, 04:55 PM
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| Hi I like Kestrel too Lizzy, its a good all-rounder (but especially mash) and seems to do well in all conditions. I had a bumper crop of Arran Pilots, but all my main crops caught blight (Desiree, Kerr's Pink & Maris Piper). I've just started some Charlottes in buckets at home, well away from the allotment. Hoping for new tatties around Xmas. Clareg |
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10-09-2007, 05:32 PM
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| Arran Pilot, lovely. Pink Fir Apple (main, but will be digging them from August to December) are great salad potatoes, very firm and waxy (so not good for mashing). I escaped the blight, not sure how.
__________________ ~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi |
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11-09-2007, 12:44 AM
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| Charlotte and Cherie are great salad potatoes. Rooster are great roasting potatoes. It's all horses for courses.
__________________ From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. |
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12-09-2007, 08:23 PM
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| It is every one to there own taste i personly only grow King Edwards some people can't grow them i was told when i took my plot on you can't grow them here but if you give them plenty of water with comfrey mixed it seems to work ok for me but as i said at the start people's taste's are different good luck with what ever you grow  jacob |
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12-09-2007, 11:20 PM
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| Thanks everyone for the response. I have two allotment plots and wanted to grow more potatoes and onions next year. I will grow Kestrel and Charlotte again, but, wanted something else to try. You have given me something to think about. Thanks Liz |
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12-09-2007, 11:35 PM
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| Hi Everyone Just thought I would say hello as a newcomer. Have just taken over my first allotment and although it looks a bit daunting, lots of weeds, brambles and general rubbish, I'm quite excited about it all. Have been reading lots of your bits and pieces and will certainly be back - probably with lots of questions! Kay |
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13-09-2007, 01:29 AM
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| Welcome to the vine Kayt. Lizzy, I thought that Juliette were excellent first earlies.definately growing them next year.
__________________ Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell Paul |
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13-09-2007, 02:13 AM
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| .....and one not to bother with... As noted here by the good grapes of the vine, Rocket taste of ... well not very much, i didn't think. Have loved the cara, nadine and maris piper tho'. Will go for a more salady/waxy on in the mix for next year - charlotte, perhaps.
__________________ Hazel  www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com update Sat 15/11/2008......there's gold in them thar...compost bins!...... |
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13-09-2007, 10:48 AM
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| Try some Roseval if you get the chance. It's an early maincrop red potato (got my tubers from the Garden Organic Potato day, but they are also available from Alan Romans). They were the best yielding of several varieties I planted and taste was fantastic.
__________________ All at once I hear your voice And time just slips away Bonnie Rait |
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13-09-2007, 10:58 AM
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| My first time at growing potatoes so I have nothing to compare with, but have just started eating my Maris Piper. The plants caught blight, I kept them going until it got bad then cut off the foliage, and I still have lovely big potatoes which taste great boiled and chipped. I'm amazed at the size of some of them given the conditions.
__________________ Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance  |
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13-09-2007, 12:43 PM
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| They don't give a massive crop, but International Kidney (aka Jersey Royals) are still the best tasting earlies that I have grown. Rocket - not much flavour Swift - not much flavour Red Duke of York - liked by others for good flavour (not me personally, but I am weird!) Duke of York - similar to the reds, but not as tasty Next season I am getting International Kidney and Foremost, I hope. |
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13-09-2007, 01:56 PM
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| Pesonally, I really like Pink Fir Apple. Shame they are such a pain to prepare!
__________________ Veni, Vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around. |
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13-09-2007, 05:15 PM
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| Foremost as an early and Marfona as a maincrop. As a special pink fir apple are the biz.
__________________ Kindest regards, David. http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/ updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs |
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14-09-2007, 03:43 PM
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| I LOVE Arran Pilot. Also Lady Christle. (SP?)
__________________ Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated November 17th - The Big Dig |
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14-09-2007, 10:17 PM
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| I've been scribbling down your comments and find I've listed 16 varieties, now I've grown 4 this year and have got over 100lb of potatoes still to eat my way through so will have to do some whittling down of my list. Why don't suppliers allow purchase of smaller quantities of seed potatoes, would love to try a larger range of varieties. Taster packs would be great. Sue |
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15-09-2007, 11:14 AM
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| hi Sue Yes most suppliers are missing a trick there…. Marshalls offer a (very restricted) Taster Pack (Charlotte, Swift and Maris Peer) including, if you so choose, their Gro-sacks (anyone tried them, are they any good?) – see http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/ and search… HDRA (Organic Gardening) are making best headway on this front – last year they held a Potato Open Day (though you’re a bit of a hike from Warks) and also offered quite a range through their catalogue with CHASE, see http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/ and search… Also some enterprising garden centres sometimes offer small quantities e.g. see http://www.worsleyhallgardencentre.com/other_seeds.htm But main suppliers’ heads, one suspects, are somewhere else…. (££££££££) (You’ve prompted me to ask a related Q under “General Chitchat” – “Who owns and controls UK seed companies?” as I find it all very confusing.) I only grow potatoes in containers now – ideal for your “taster” idea, relatively problem free and so easy to crop, you don’t even need a fork, just rummage around and pull out the ones you need. Any the wrong size for that particular meal put back, cover up and they stay fresh. The main problem is finding enough containers! (Oh and watering but hardly a problem this year, the containers nearly floated off at one point….). The late summer has brought the Xmas spuds on somewhat quicker than anticipated, looks like we might have to celebrate Christmas some time in November this year .Just to add to your impossible list which I’ve been noting too – H-on-the H mentioned Nadine which did the best ever size-wise in containers (baking potato size though you also seem to get a lot of mini ones in containers) – as the quick growth suggests I found them best mashed. Also not always available but Ratte are tasty (salad). bb |
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15-09-2007, 04:40 PM
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| I like Nicola, it is not a heavy producer but taste nice and waxy. Grown bintje before, produce loads but nothing special from the taste. Momol
__________________ I grow, I pick, I eat ... |
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15-09-2007, 09:54 PM
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| BB A potato open day would be good, I've not seen one local to me but will keep an eye out. Thanks for the links but none of those look right, perhaps I'll write to Alan Romans and see what he says? best wishes Sue |
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