Topic: Yet another Potato question - sorry

[chippy queen]

Hi. This is my first year allotmenteering and I have grown Pentland Javelin new potatoes.  Although they are very nice and we are pleased with the taste I do find that they go a bit mashy when cooked., also they have smooth skins. I would like to grow new potatoes with what I can only describe as "flaky skins". Does anyone know what variety I could choose for next year or are there any like that that I could put in for Christmas time.  Thanks in advance. Jacky

[mpdjulie]

We've just finished the last of our charlotte pots.  They have a flaky, don't have to be boiled for long and tend to hold their shape when cooked.  They are a very nice creamy tasting potato.  They are a second early which I planted in April and pulled last week of June.
Hope this helps.
Julie :)

[cornykev]

Steam them for 30 mins.  :P      ;D ;D ;D

[Tee Gee]

For years I have grown 'Foremost' as an early and have been relatively happy with them.

This year I am trying Rocket!

I have found with the Rocket that I am getting fewer tubers but they seem to be larger so I guess pound for pound they are giving me a similar return!

[macmac]

For years I have grown 'Foremost' as an early and have been relatively happy with them.

This year I am trying Rocket!

I have found with the Rocket that I am getting fewer tubers but they seem to be larger so I guess pound for pound they are giving me a similar return!

used to grow rocket huge but tasteless, this year we've grown 8 varieties (6 tubers of each) just to try,I didn't realise how much variation there is Homeguard were good.Yukon gold and International Kidney(supposed to be like jersey royals)were also v. good.So i'd say try different ones to find out which you like best :)

[chriscross1966]

I'd suggest Pink Fir Apple but.......
The top growth is monstrous, big shaggy and floppy, the emo fringe of potatos..... the crop is none too great in terms of weight, even if it was a modern small-plant that you could space closely.... which iot isn't and you can't.....Also the tubers are more than somewhat bizarre in shape and even the more normal ones are pretty knobbly, the whacky ones are just plain alien. And it's a maincrop..... And it's pretty tightskinned

On the upside it's the best tasting salad potato in the world and it carries on tasting like a salad potato months after its been harvested..

[PurpleHeather]

I haven't seen those flaky skins for years. Even the Jersey Royals are smooth these days.

My theory is that spuds have been engineered to have smooth skins because we all demand prewashed spuds from the supermarkets and the washing rubs off the flaky skins. (I await correction on that one)

As for cooking them and them going mushy.

New potatoes we always added to boiling water. Old potatoes we put in cold water brought it to the boil and turned it down to a simmer. Reason was adding old potatoes to boiling water made them mushy. New potatoes would stay firm.

I found one variety I have as a new spud is going mushy and simply cooked them for a littles less time.

Steaming takes longer than boiling but spuds do keep their shape better.