Author Topic: Newbie allotmenteer  (Read 5812 times)

chappy

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Newbie allotmenteer
« on: February 22, 2015, 11:57:47 »
Not sure if that's what we are really called?! an "allotmenteer" ha

To introduce myself, I've visited A4A a lot of times for helpful info in growing things in my tiny garden, but finally I am the holder of a half plot in Lichfield (Netherstowe site).  I actually aquired the plot second half of last year so have not done too much yet other than strimming back weeds, some digging and cutting back masses of raspberry canes. But I am now ready to dig in (terrible I know!) and get this plot sorted this year.

I bet this is asked all the time so if somebody can find me a thread (search not finding me anything specific), I'm after opinions on potato varieties for best flavour as I'd like to buy my first early seeds today and start them chitting. Opinions on firsts, second and mains welcome please.

Good to be here at last with an allotment! :)

goodlife

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2015, 12:27:02 »
Oh yes...you can be called allotmenteer... :icon_cheers:

As for potato varieties...Charlotte is one that I like very much, slugs don't seem to bother it that much and it shows some resistance to blight and I prefer waxy potatoes.
Saxon...it good all rounder, slightly on waxy side of texture too, it perform well and produces good crop of spuds
I like Doon pearl too...Vivaldi and Casablanca....all good performers..and, and  :toothy10:
But what suits my soil doesn't necessary produce nice tasting/cropping ones for you. I have my few 'old favourites' that I grow year after year...and trial few smaller lots of something new to me....I'm constant look out for the ultimate variety, you never know if there is something better out there....and in mean while I keep growing some trusted ones to make sure I get some decent spud.
I think I could find easier to say what varieties I don't like, either by taste or performance..there is not that many but sadly they tend to be the most common seed varieties in shops.. :BangHead:

winecap

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2015, 14:07:04 »
My only advice would be to try and grow a few varieties. As Goodlife said, the taste and performance will depend on your soil, and to some extent will vary year to year. What does best this year may not be best next year, so I always grow a good mix. My preferred earlies are homeguard and rocket.

Tee Gee

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2015, 15:49:27 »
I'm a Rocket man myself,strongly followed by Foremost for earlies.

Kestrel and Charlotte for 2nd Earlies

Pink Fir Apple and Maxine for Maincrop.

BTW Welcome to A4A  where we are all for one and one for all!

deadbird

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2015, 16:57:22 »
Main thing is to have fun unless you want maximum crops or return
I tend to purchase anything ,fruit flower or vegtable with Rhs award of garden merit
Potatoes will. Vary if year very dry or very wet in terms of cropping or disease resistance----
Main crop I like Picasso,enjoy growing anything with red tinge
🤓

Digeroo

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2015, 17:46:02 »
 Great you are now an allotmenteer.  I do hope your enjoy your plot.

I prefer floury potatoes so Desiree is my favourite.  Having a huge blight problem so I am going for some resistant ones this year.  Taste not as good but at least they might produce more. 

Its a bit soggy underfoot at the moment, so hoping things will dry out soon though todays downpour has not helped at all.

Tee Gee

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2015, 18:42:21 »
Here is something to read during this inclement weather, and by the time you have read this and its related links you should be ready to tackle most anything on your plot. :BangHead: :sunny: :coffee2:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Allotments/Allotments.htm

kGarden

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2015, 08:49:41 »
I disagree with some of the preferences here ... 'coz taste is a personal thing. new Potatoes sold as "Jersey Royals" actually International Kidney variety.  Most people on the forums who have grown them say they taste pants ... they need the seaweed spread on the fields over decades, in Jersey, to get the flavour ...
I recommend finding yourself a garden centre / similar locally that sells seed potatoes loose, and buying half-a-dozen of each of several varieties, label carefully and do a taste test. Worth looking out for Potato Day events locally, they will have more varieties available, to buy loose, than a garden centre. Even if you love a particular potato variety, bought in shop or eaten at a friend's house, there is no guarantee that on your soil, with your husbandry, it will taste the same for you.

That said, all New Potatoes, fresh from garden to pot, will taste better than ones that have travelled for several days before getting to Supermarket, and then to your home and stored for some days before being cooked ...

Charlotte (2nd Early) is the most popular spud that I have seen mentioned on the forums over the years ...

FWIW my choices are:

Rocket for the earliest early. I grow two containers in conservatory to harvest really early. We don't like the taste much.
Arran Pilot for 1st early. I've grown Foremost, we didn't like them
Pink Fir Apple for Salad Spuds. We start harvesting them for Sunday BBQs, any left at the end of the season seem to store well. Nuisance to peel, we love the flavour. I've tried Anya (sp?) which is supposed to be a better Pink Fir Apple. We didn't like it.

Mains: I used not to grow them, very cheap to buy and farmers have WAY better cool storage which keeps them in tip-top condition and stops them sprouting (mine are sprouting by XMas), but increasingly we worry about what chemicals are used on our food, particularly in a bad harvest year when potatoes tend to be imported.  Also risk of Blight (1st / 2nd earlies are normally out of the ground by the time blight starts)

I haven't grown any blight resistant varieties, but I read that the flavour is compromised.  For me I would prefer to buy spuds with a flavour I like, rather than grow anything with a compromised flavour, as we grow first and foremost for flavour, second to know that it is chemical free.

I've also grown, and didn't like, Pentland Javelin. I have grown King Edward for main (didn't store well enough to grow instead of buying from farm-gate :) ) I'm interested in growing a good variety for Jacket Potatoes.

A typical Potato Bag, for growing spuds in, needs 3 seed tubers.  So if you are buying some loose tubers to try in containers think of multiples of 3 (or whatever number you plan to fit into your containers).

chappy

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Re: Newbie allotmenteer
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2015, 14:35:10 »
Thanks for the feedback, I'm going to try small amounts of several varieties so I can find what suits me for taste on my plot (not bothered about yeild, all about the tatse). My garden centre does packs of 10 for £1.99 and have a good selecton of first through mains.

My soil I can only describe as "lovely", it is nice and loamy, shame about the dock and nettle weeds but the soil needs no work other than some manure once it is weed free.

 

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