Topic: Blue fleshed potatoes: Congo, Vitelotte, Blue Salad etc

[chriscross1966]

Who else is growing them this year?... Is anyone else growing more than one?... Earlier this year myself and a couple of other A4A'ers were discussing the possibility that some of the varieties (specifically Congo and Vitelotte) might be actually basically the same. I've only got the one Vitelotte plant and the stems are a lot paler than the Congo and also they're rather blotchy  in terms of the pigmentation pattern. Can anyone else provide any info here? Pictures of Vitelottes would be useful....

chrisc

[Jeannine]

RussianBlues, we started to dig some yesterday and John was not impressed, we took the lot out, same with the Russian Fingerlings, so we chucked them, actually another lottie owner saw us so they got a home after all.

XX Jeannine

[earlypea]

I've got 5 Vitellote plants, looking good from T&M as microtubers - I'll get a photo for you later.

[Stevens706]

I've got a couple of Arran Victory potatoes growing they are blue / purple, I'll let you know how they get on

[chriscross1966]

I've got 5 Vitellote plants, looking good from T&M as microtubers - I'll get a photo for you later.

Many thanks earlypea!...

re: Russian Blues and Fingerlings.... I think that there has been a buch of Russian veg seeds appearing on ebay recently, from my own experience with Russian Size onions I won't be bothering again... Germination was poor and growth since hasn't been great generally.... there's a couple that look like they might challenge the Kelsae's for size but that's it, ditto with th eSpanish Giants too....

chrisc

[chriscross1966]

I've got a couple of Arran Victory potatoes growing they are blue / purple, I'll let you know how they get on

Thanks, but Arran Victory is a blue skinned potato, not blue fleshed (Victory is a gorgeous tasting thing I'll grant you but it's white fleshed)....

chrisc

[1066]

I'm growing Blue Salad - the flowers have pretty much finished now. But I won't be digging any for a while as the yields on all the others have been poor and I'm wanting some rain!

[detailista]

I've got some Edzell Blue - AFAIK  just blue skinned not fleshed, only just flowering so a while til we pull them up (is that right?  let the leaves die back a bit before lifting up?)

It's my first year so crossing my fingers....

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'll try to remember to get some pics of Negresse.

[Jeannine]

Mine came from West coast seeds, bery reputable XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

RussianBlues, we started to dig some yesterday and John was not impressed, we took the lot out, same with the Russian Fingerlings, so we chucked them, actually another lottie owner saw us so they got a home after all.
XX Jeannine

I really liked Russian Blue and hopefully I will be growing them again next year, no idea how heavy a crop as I just took a few for a taste. I enjoyed them boiled and the leftovers went into a curry  ;D Just about waxy enough for me and super colour, earlier than Vitelotte, I'm happy  ;D

(Clock wise from th bottom; Maris Peer, Una, one I'm not sure of, Setanta and Russian Blue)
[attachment=1][attachment=2]

[Jayb]

Vitelotte, this one is from a mini tuber
[attachment=1]

[sawfish]

I've grown Highland Burgundy and Shetland Black. Shetland Black are the best roast/baked potatos I've ever had. Just a purple vascular ring with them though.

[amphibian]

salad blue for the second year. loved these last year, what a great potato for chips.

[chriscross1966]

Vitelotte, this one is from a mini tuber
[attachment=1]

Many thanks for that Jayb.... looking at it I'd still say that the stems are a lot lighter and less consistently coloured than my Congo's..... I'm hoping that at least one of my blues produces OK along with the Highland Burgundy Red's I've got so that I can do multi-coloured crisps for the nieces and nephews (ages five and downwards).... or else a patriatic cottage pie...

chrisc

[earlypea]

Do you still need another for comparison Chriscross?  I got distracted yesterday and forgot, but can do it today.

[chriscross1966]

Do you still need another for comparison Chriscross?  I got distracted yesterday and forgot, but can do it today.

Would be helpful. When I get home tonight I'll try and get one of the Congo's. What I'm interested in is the pigmentation depth and pattern of the stems, that's where my Vitelotte seems to differ so much from the Congo's. All of the coloured flesh potatoes seem to have some sort of secondary colouration of the stems, but COngo seems to be very deep. Certainly seems deeper than the Salad Blue (though they're not on the same site). I've got the Vitelotte adn the COngo';s growing side-by-side in identical pots

chrisc

[earlypea]

Chriscross - I took the photo before I read that - does this one cover it?

[Jeannine]

To be fair to the Russian Blue and Russian Fingerlings(white) we grew, we popped then in while it was pouring rain and needed to get home, we had more spuds than space so we doubled up, consequently they didn't have enough space to grow, they were packed in so tight and of course were tiny.John didn't like the colour, most went to a lottie neighbour and I took a few home but he wouldn't try them. I think Jayb's description is probably more accurate, it had to be my fault that mine were useless as I sent Jayb hers and they grew well for her. I guess John just couldn't get his head around purple spuds.

XX Jeannine

[chriscross1966]

Chriscross - I took the photo before I read that - does this one cover it?

Thanks for that earlypea, it shows exactly what I want. The stem on there is a fair chunk lighter than m y Congos and aboutr the same as my Vitelotte.....   Congo and Vitelotte  might be very similar, but I think that they're definitely not the same variety ,..... hop[e I get a crop from them to find out what they taste like now.....

chrisc