Topic: Best early potato?

[ugly gourd]

ACCENT lovely waxy new potatoes Yum YUm

[Barnowl]

Is it asking too much to ask for a variety that produces nice small salad potatoes but then also nice bigger ones if left if the ground?

I was surprised how big some of my Charlottes grew this year when left in the ground. They are second earlies, of course. First and second earlies don't seem to suffer slug damage either, like maincrop spuds do fi left in the ground too long.

International Kidney (Jersey Royal) can also be picked small and early but are actually a main crop potato so will keep developing.

Caroline, you haven't mentioned if you prefer 'waxy' or 'floury' potatoes.

[cornykev]

Phil where have you been,  ??? we've missed your spud expertise through the spud growing season.  ;D ;D ;D

[calendula]

depends what you want from the first or second early spud - waxy, salad, mashing, chips etc but as the weather is warm at the time of year you'd be picking a first or second I always want a salad spud that is waxy and has a wonderful taste, so Belle de Fontenay  has become my favourite for this but so many to choose from

[Barnowl]

Just for a change,  this year I'm going to try Annabelle and Nicola instead of Belle de Fontenay - hope I'm not disappointed.

[philcooper]

Phil where have you been,  ??? we've missed your spud expertise through the spud growing season.  ;D ;D ;D

Sorry, I didn't realise you cared!  ;)

Life's been a wee bit hectic - haven't even had time to grow any spuds this year and had to give up the allotment - retirement due in 2 years 9 months and 4 days so I might get the time then!!

We've ordered some new earlies for the next Potato Day (24-25 Jan) from the European Potato Show in France

[KathrynH]

Another vote here for Lady Christl. Great as an early new potato but as I was digging them up as I need them, by the time I got to the 2nd row they were pretty big. They kept well too and I've only just used up the last of them.

[ina]

Charlottes were a winner last year, very tasty, nice texture and they seem to keep longer than others. Will do them again next year.
Belle the Fonteney were disappointing, despite one of the parents being Pink Fir, I find the flavor bland.
Harlequins are really nice, (Charlotte X Pink Fir) and big yields. Sadly not availabe in Holland but I get them through a friend in England. Expensive but worth it.
My favorite is Ratte d'Ardeche (Belgian, local name is Bugenummer Muuskes). Lovely waxy and an old fashioned potato flavor.
Going to try Royal Kidney this year after reading good reports.

[kingston boy]

Arron Pilot or International Kidney in our area

[markyb23]

I didn't do very well with my spuds last year, although most of my first earlies were ok. Foremost, Maris Bard and Home Guard were all pretty good. I'm growing my spuds on previously uncultivated ground next time around so i'm hoping for better things. The yeilds seem to have dropped off over the last couple of years.
  One of the best first earlies i've ever grown has been Concorde (waxy, yellow potato that seems to keep on growing if you leave it in the soil). If i manage to get hold of some of these they will be first on my list. I will probably grow some Sharpe's Express again too (very dry, but almost guaranteed to be slug free). I'll probably try Red Duke Of York again too. They've let me down for the last year or two but i'm hoping that ,on the new ground, they will do the business. I think they're worth a try for their brilliant colour, and they dont taste bad too.
  The only other spud that is an automatic choice for me is Kestrel second early. This one seems to give me a decent crop even when the rest of my secon early/ main crop are a disaster. I had a great crop with British Queen a couple of years back so i might try a few of them again too. I'm not going to bother with many other second early or main crops because the slugs seem to ruin most of them on my clay soil.
  For me, buying a few new varieties and getting all my potatos chitting, and getting the ground ready for them  is the thing that gets me going for the new season ahead.  :)
 

[ina]

Sorry.  When I put Royal Kidney, but I meant "Jersey Royal".  Aren't they the same as "International Kidney"?

[Lauren S]

 

Sorry.  When I put Royal Kidney, but I meant "Jersey Royal".  Aren't they the same as "International Kidney"?

Yes... correct...apparently you can only call them Jersey Royals if grown ON the island  ::)  ::)  ::)

[philcooper]

 Yes... correct...apparently you can only call them Jersey Royals if grown ON the island  ::)  ::)  ::)

Actually you can only sell them as Jersey Royals if they have been grown on Jersey - so if you grow your own International Kidney you can eat "Jersey Royals" - thus saving even moere money compared with buying them in the shops.

One storey about the delicious JR flavour is that it is due to the use of seaweed as a fertiliser on the fields - this is less than it used to be but you could try seaweed or seaweed meal as a fertiliser - enjoyed by all potatoes (and most other veg!!)

PS Royal Kidney is a different variety and I support the votes for Lady Chrystl

[tonybloke]

they can only be called jersey royals if grown there! the hint is in the name. I grow "gorleston royals" myself ;)

[carloso]

Rocket good crop reasonable flavour and never any trouble (touch wood)

[angle shades]

 :) Nicola and Maris Bard for me /shades x

[cornykev]

For the last four seasons I have tried foremost, accent, arran pilot, pentant javelin and vales emerald, (freebies)  this year I'm going for rocket and lady christl.    ;D ;D ;D

[Hyacinth]

  this year I'm going for rocket and lady christl.    ;D ;D ;D

Good choice and Phil the Spud endorses the lady as well 8) Good enough for me. Hello Phil and so lovely to see you posting!

Ina, when I grew Belle de Fonteney I was disappointed also with the bland taste, but then I was told that one needs to keep them awhile for the flavour to develop? Don't know if this is so, and the info came a little too late - I'd only planted a few, the yield wasn't great - and I'd eaten them ::)

Lishka

[star]

Im going to try Lady Christl this year having read the recommendations here. I will be growing the usual Kestrel too, they have always done very well for us and taste lurverly. :D

[shirlton]

We will be growing old faithful pentland javelin as usual and am gonna suggest that we try Lady Christl