Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Debs on January 31, 2004, 12:24:33
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Has anybody grown Jersey Royals?
Are they expensive? :om :o
Who supplies them ?
Or can anybody suggest a really good flavoured potato to grow. ::)
Talking of flavour - do growing conditions (soil type/organic matter) make any difference to the taste??
Debs. ;D
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The flavour of any vegetable will depend upon the reservoir of nutrients in the soil. The greater the salt concentration the more the plant will pick up and the more flavour will we detect when we eat them. Nutrient concentration is naturally lowest in sandy soils and increases through silt, clay and 'muck' soils. Adding organic matter to the first three will increase nutrient cconcentration and result in more detectable flavour.
Great variaitions from the natural habitat of a plant can also affect flavour. Living in a country that gets very hot in the summer, where breeding work has had to address the issue of bitterness in potatoes caused by excess heat (potatoes naturally occur in the cool, higher elevations of the Andes), I wonder if traditional varieties in the UK will prove adaptable to global warming?
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I'll try to follow John's expert view with a bit of mundane stuff.
Yes, they are great spuds. We used to export them before WW11. Same price as seed, but more expensive in the market. Often come down to 1/2 price after a week or so. That's when I freeze a large batch when I'm short on earlies.
Sold as 'International Kidney' - Simpson's Seeds, OrganicCatalogue, T&M etc. = Tim
PS - any potato you grow will be delicious!!
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Hi,
I haven't grown them.
I've read the seed potatoes are called 'international kidney' and I've seen them in Homebase recently.
Good luck !
Gail.
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On the taste,quality question just don`t over water them,around here they grow acres of them and they are watered continually. Sure it bulks up the yield but the flavour leaves a lot to be desired.
Stephan.
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Hi yes we grow 'jerseys' we grow them in black bags with a few holes in 3-4 seed potatoes in each and fill the bag up as they grow (same as earthing up) just cut the bag and hey presto easy potatoes ;)
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Haven't a clue where I read this now - but they suggested the flavour of "real" Jersey Royals was down to the exclusive use of seaweed as manure on the island?
All best, Gavin
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I'm with Gavin on the story that the good flavour originally came from the heavy use of seaweed on Jersey's light soil.
The point is made elsewhere that to get good flavour (and yield) you need good soil, so plenty of muck, or compost in its absence. Lawrence Hills, the guy who invented the HDRA, swore by comfrey leaves chopped up in the base of the trench - but I find it difficult to get leaves early enough.
They are sold as Jersey Royals only when grown in Jersey otherwise they are International Kidney. The variety was raise in England by Robert Fenn around 1879 (the parentage is not known)
Phil
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- 'seaweed' for International Kidneys, OK - but 'vraic', please, for Jersey Royals!! = Tim
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Wow :o what a lot of informed gardeners there are out there!!!
Re the seaweed.
How is this used? Could I collect some from my local beach?
If so , what do I do with it?
*Ive got the last bag of international kidney from my local Homebase YIPPEE !! (£3.99 for 2½ kg bag)
Is this reasonably priced or not??
Await further knowledgeable hints & tips !! ;D
Debs
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;)
Gavin you are correct about the use of seaweed on the jersey royal potatoes. For the last few years the royal potatoes have not tasted the same, the farmers on jersey were stopped using seaweed by .....you have guessed it .....the EU parliment.
Richard
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Well - that's the end of the road for me - but not hard to believe in these stupid days. Makes one really sick at heart. = Tim
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Specially for you, Tim :) :) - and Richard - another EU myth, I think?
The EU has "protected the designation of origin of this potato. It is the only fresh produce grown in Britain to enjoy this official status," (same as champagne, and other regional delicacies).
The fact that seaweed is used is part of its being so special - http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/foodname/fruitveg/uk/jersey_p.htm
All best - Gavin
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yes you can collect seaweed from the beach, don't use stuff taht is too dried out as it'll be too salty and never pick it from the rocks.
today would be a good day cos its dead windy so loads will be washed up.
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- the inspectors will be after you too! = Tim
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what inspectors ???
Would they be in disguise at 6.30am ??
- which is when I go to the beach before work !!!
Debs ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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- the EU chappies!! Wot spoilt Jersey's Royals. But 6.30, you should be OK!!= Tim
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Tim!
EU protection for Jersey Royal, grown with seaweed = true.
EU ban on seaweed = myth; sorry!
All best - Gavin.
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Gavin,
That's jolly unkind of you to spoil a good story by introducing the truth.
On the original question on use of seaweed, it can be:
laid in the trench with a small amout of soil on top under the tubers
used as a mulch between the rows
or, a bit late now, incorporated in the soil before planting
In short seaweed is GOOD
For those without access to the seaside (legal or otherwise), the use of liquid seaweed fertiliser as a foliar feed is also very GOOD for almost all plants and is a pick me up when they are looking a bit down.
PS Beetroot especially like seaweed as do other veg that originate from the coast because of the salt
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So who started that thread??
I'm much relieved. And I always use liquid seaweed or seaweed meal on everything - a firm believer - like Stephan. = Tim
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must get some seaweed, live 200 yards from beach, plain lazy not to.....
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Tim,
When I said it was GOOD, I meant on plants
I think you are taking it too far putting it on everything - still with the government trying to stop us putting salt on things and the Japanese (and Welsh) eating it who knows?
:)
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Phil - I just LOVE it as laverbread, or 'Japanese' snacks or - almost anything. I feel it's so real! = Tim
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ooooooooo Tim....now you have made me home sick for Devon, hot laver with crispy bacon. Bestest food ever! seaweed rules okay!
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I'm close to lots of lovely beaches so will be collecting more seaweed - questio though about putting it in the trench before the seed potatoes - I thought you shouldn't put fresh stuff in the soil as it robs the soil of nitrogen, at the expense of the plants, as it decomposes - is this different for seaweed, or potatoes then?
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dunno but apparently it is ceri, you have to put a thin layer of soil on top of the seaweed according to something i read....
...anyway fight you for the seaweed - WB won't know what's hit it! :D
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Not if I don't get there first ;D - best part of the beach for washed up seaweed seems to be up at the Lighthouse end of WB ;).
Debs
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so that's where it all is - went along the beach down by the Rendevous yesterday with dog and a big bag. Low tide after the high winds, not a speck of seaweed that wasn't healthily attached to a rock! I'll try nearer the lighthouse next time. I did have a good haul in the autumn from the Lifeboat beach - I never remember the beach's actual names!
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On nitrogen starvation - I haven't been able to find out much, but if you're worried, throw in a bit of chicken based manure to balance it up
I did find this "Investigations were made on the brown seaweed Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh collected from Rameswaram Coast, Tamil Nadu. The alginates extracted from 'leaf', 'stem' and entire thallus of S. polycystum were investigated for their viscosity and chemical constituents, namely β-D-mannuronic acid (M-block), α-L-guluronic acid (G-block) and alternating sequences of β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid (MG-block) for six different seasons between August 1998 and November 1999. Significant seasonal variation (P < 0.05) was observed with high yield of alginate in February. The alginate extracted from the 'leaf' region showed a maximum yield whereas the 'stem' region exhibited maximum viscosity. The amount of G-block was found to be more than M- and MG-blocks in all the samples tested. The amount of G-block was high in 'stem' followed by 'leaf' and entire thallus. A positive correlation was recorded between viscosity and G-block. Among the three alginates, the ratio of M/G was low in the 'stem' followed by 'leaf' and entire thallus."
and haven't a clue what it means
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eerrr - nor do I - I'm going to translate it to mean "yes seaweed is good for potatoes" and try it!
Thanks Phil
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It's Daddies Brown Sauce! ;) ;)
And very good on chips ::) ??? ::)
All best - Gavin