Topic: Potato Choice

[sandersj89]

I am mulling over what to order for seed potatoes, I usually grow a couple of earlies and a 2 or 3 main crop.

This year I am growing again Mimi (early) and Aran Victory (main crop) as they have performed very well for a number of years and I love Victory as I think it is the best roast spud money can buy.

But this year I am thinking about adding a couple of new  varieties to me. Has anyone grown or got any feedback on either Foremost (early) or Sante (main crop)?

For reference these will be grown on my heavy clay soil at an allotment so no watering used to bulk up the crop.

Thanks

Jerry

[flowerlady]

Jerry,

I know Foremost are good producers and prolific.  Have you done a search on here?  There seems to be quite a bit of info.

If that fails I know Tim would be able to shed some light on things, I see he is still on the members list you could email him?  Send him my salaams! ;)

Have never grown Victory are they wax or floury?

[Wicker]

Jerry, we grew Sante for the first time last year and are repeating them this year so we would give them thumbs up.  Far as I remember we got good amount of tubers and I do know they were fine for both boiling and chipping/roasting.  We rarely water potatoes


One variety we are growing this year that we know absolutely nothing about is Yukon Gold (T&M special offer)

[sandersj89]

Jerry,

I know Foremost are good producers and prolific.  Have you done a search on here?  There seems to be quite a bit of info.

If that fails I know Tim would be able to shed some light on things, I see he is still on the members list you could email him?  Send him my salaams! ;)

Have never grown Victory are they wax or floury?

I may well drop him a note.

Victory are lovely fluffy spuds when roast. Crispy on the outside and floury inside.

Jerry

[sandersj89]

Jerry, we grew Sante for the first time last year and are repeating them this year so we would give them thumbs up.  Far as I remember we got good amount of tubers and I do know they were fine for both boiling and chipping/roasting.  We rarely water potatoes


One variety we are growing this year that we know absolutely nothing about is Yukon Gold (T&M special offer)

What was the taste like?

Yukon Gold is meant to be very nice taste but the slugs like them I hear.

Jerry

[Wicker]

Jerry, the flavour to my mind was "mild" but they kept well and weren't too floury.  As already said I found them fine for both boiling and chipping which is handy with g'kids and as far as I remember they were very good baked tho I don't do a lot of that.  We grow three different maincrops so sometiems I have trouble remembering exactly - should write it down.

[flower]

hi jerry i notice that you mention about growing on heavy clay soil, i dont know if you have grown them but home guard are supposed to do well on heavy clay ( i am trying these for the first time myself this yr ) along with a few other varieties

[dandelion]

Does anyone grow Belle de fontenay? I bought some which were described as early maincrop, but I've seen seen it listed in a book as early? So WHAT is it ????

[sandersj89]

hi jerry i notice that you mention about growing on heavy clay soil, i dont know if you have grown them but home guard are supposed to do well on heavy clay ( i am trying these for the first time myself this yr ) along with a few other varieties

Flower

Yes I have grown Home Guard in the past, indeed I did the year before last and I do like them, but I would like to try something new, hence foremost.

Funny, it seems easier to get recs for earlies rather than mains but I suppose that reflects the choice and the fact they are longer in the ground and thus more prone to problems.

Kestrel as a Second early seem to be an alternative worth more research!

Thanks again

Jerry

[Hyacinth]

Does anyone grow Belle de fontenay? I bought some which were described as early maincrop, but I've seen seen it listed in a book as early? So WHAT is it ????

It's on my list to buy - but it's described as a salad potato! - "very early firm fleshed variety with exceptional cooking qualities".

[redimp]

Kestrel is an excellent second early Jerry.  I am repeating that one this year.  I describe it as a second early King Ed in both appearance and euses but it does break up easier when boiled that a King Ed.  It has excellent flavour and chips and roasts brilliantly.

[Moggle]

I have got Kestrel this year after various reccomendations from here about it being good for heavy clay and resistant to slugs.

For an early - again for clay - I found International Kidney (aka jersey royal) did very well for me last year - hardly slugged at all and a lovely texture.

I might try Victory if it does well for you, I am looking for another maincrop.

[kenkew]

.and what about Golden Wonder? Arguably the best spuds for chips.  Impossible to get at one time due to the crisp company snafflin' them all up. Now the company has gone maybe we'll see them available to growers again.

[Roy Bham UK]

::) I've gone over the top this year with my range, last year I grew 3x3kg bags of Arran Pilot, Maris Peer and Desiree.

This year as above plus, Foremost, Pentland Javelin, Rocket, Charlotte and Maris Piper.
Good job I have an extra lottie me thinks :o ;D

P S Redclanger if you are reading this did you receive my PM?

[Doris_Pinks]

Jerry, I am going to be growing Kestrel again, tis the 3rd year I have grown them and have been delighted with the results!

Haven't I read on here somewhere that Picasso is worth a go?

My earlies are going to be Lady Crystyl(sp?) again, lovely spuds ;D

[flower]

Kestrel did well for me last yr  and lots of the old chaps are fond of growing that down on the plots  too. King edward also did well but a couple of yrs ago i grew edzel blue and it was absolutely delish  :) not so good for boiling as it does tend to break up but very tasty my other potatoes for this yr are home guard as mentioned previously swift, ulster sceptre,charlotte, saxon,and last but not least the pink fir apples my absolute fave of all of em ;)

[Moggle]

.and what about Golden Wonder?

I really wanted to try this variety this year, but my local garden centre didn't have it  :'( Or Lady Crystl or IK, but fortunately a colleague was able to get those for me at her local CG.

[sandersj89]

Many thanks all, I will give both Kestral and Foremost a try this year.

So my list is looking like this for 2006:

Earlies
Mimi
Foremost

Main Crop
Aran Victory
Kestral

Salad
Ratte

That should see me though the year, into our 3rd year without buying any spuds!

Doris

I grew Picasso last year and the yield was very good, huge spuds too big even for baking. The largest spud was enough to use for 4 of us when mashed!!! But it did suffer from slugs a bit and the taste was not the best.

HTH

Jerry

[Chantenay]

I'm dithering over my potato choices too - and its potato day on Saturday!!!!
I am determined to try Epicure this year, so I will be on the doorstep at 9am. Is this a good boiled new potato cos that what I want it for?
And as there were no Epicure last year, what about my back up position - swift? homeguard?
Then my beautiful little Kestrel - delicious and does everything  I need until the King Edwards and Desiree come in. This year I am dropping the Desiree and will try red King Edwards.
And for my longest keeper its Golden Wonder - I have just started on those in storage and its true that flavour improves with keeping - and not a sprout in sight as of last night.
But will I drop the pink fir apple? Decisions, decisions.

[Dirkdigger]

Just purchased some Homeguard, only going to grow early crop this year. More room for everything else.
DD