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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: asbean on January 24, 2009, 13:47:35
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We've decided to concentrate on earlier varieties this time and have fewer in store. Whitchurch seemed to have less choice than in previous years, but we managed to get some of our tried and tested favourites and some we hadn't tried before:
Home Guard
Estima
Marabel
Ratte
Belle de Fontenay
Yukon Gold
Anya
Golden Wonder
Let the chitting begin :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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Anya, Moulin Rouge (a red Anya), Harlequin, and some "Micro" Aura...
;D
Found the Picasso in the Lottie shop...
They did have Ulster Sceptre!
:-*
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Had a nice trip down to Ryton.....didn't go too mad! ;D
Micro tuber 'Aura' (Saddads recommendation)
BF15 a Belle de Fontenay cross
Dunbar Rover
Annabelle...similar to Anya, a Charlotte cross I think
Isle of Jura
Sarpo Adam Blue..though I'd give them a try!
My 12 year old bought for his plot...
Salad Blue
Highland Burgundy Red 8)
I also seem to have a bag of 5 tubers with no name scribbled on....I can't remember what they are! :-\
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We've got Epicure which I've just started to chit in egg boxes today.
Saxon, Golden Wonder and Picasso. :)
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Oooh, it was lovely, have never been before and would have loved to have chosen lots of different varieties, but I was very good. I chose Desiree, big bag for my maincrop, and International Kidney and Lady Christl for my earlies/salads. So stuck mainly with what I know for this year but I now have the catalogue and will read up and see what to get next year. Having said that Desiree and Lady Christl did so well this year it will be hard to change.
Really enjoyed it though and wished I had got in touch Asbean as I kept wondering if I might be stood next to an A4aller!
Have them all chitting now.
Hope you have all enjoyed yourselves too.
T.
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what prices did you pay?
Neil
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Is this a national event?
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what prices did you pay?
Can't remember how much, but £12.34 for 82 potatoes.
Is this a national event?
Yes, it is, there are several "potato days" across the country (see other potato posts recently)
:) :) :)
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Price at Ryton is 18p per tuber, Sarpo's 20p per tuber and "Micros" at 50p per tuber. The big advantage is a wider range of varieties, say 100 as opposed to 30 ish in a good garden centre, and you can buy by the tuber so if you want half a dozen to try you can have just a few... not a 1kg or 3kg net.
;D
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I've just come back from the Gloucester potato weekend event which is also on tomorrow http://www.dundrynurseries.co.uk/ This year I was a volunteer for our local gardening group that helps the nursery organise the event. I was helping to keep stock levels up and advise people. There are over 150 varieties priced at 15p per tuber but could also be bought in big bags if more wanted. Amazing event with almost 1500 people through the door today alone. Potato buckets, hessian sacks, books and lots more available too with talks and other stands. Anyone going tomorrow??? ;D
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That sounds even better than Ryton, Womble... might come down next year... ;D
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It is good Saddad, well worth the trip down here!! ;D I must try Ryton one time though just to see what it's like.
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Was a great morning out!
We ended up with a few more pot's than i was looking for, but they can go into potato bags in the garden, we chose..
First earlies..
Accent
Allians
Second earlies..
Marfona
Kestral
Main crop..
Satanta
Caesar
Golden Wonder
and couldnt walk away with just potatoes, d**n them! Heritage black Carrots, toms and chilli's
and almost made it out when i spotted a wasabi in a pot, so that went into the bag too :(
I thought the talk from Chris from Sparsholt was interesting and piked up a couple tips too, will be going again next year but with smaller bags!!
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Had a great time, our first Potato Day!! Got:
2.5k Red Robin
10 tubers Mr. Little's Yetholm Gypsy
10 tubers Jelly
5 tubers Princess
5 tubers Pixie
Already got :
1k PFA's and 1k Red Duke of York from Lottie shop
2k International Kidney from GC
5 tubers Rooster from Wilkinsons
Weed-Digga
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Just got back from Ryton wher Raymond Blanc opened up the day with a speech, then down to business
bought
5 x Rocket
5xSharpes Express
5x Edzell Blue
10 x mr Littles Yeltom Gypsey (grew those last year and really liked them)
5 x Blue Belle
5x Moulin Rouge
5x Rooster
5x Aura on saddad's recommendation
I' m still new to spud growing and want to keep trying new ones !!
Plus 3kg bag Maris Piper from Wilkinsons fro £3 to grow where I'm clearing ground to help break it up!!
SO LET CHITTING COMMENCE
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Glad you both enjoyed it... I also came away with a couple of packets of seeds! :-X
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Me too - French bean "Coco Noir"
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I'm still going through my list of seed spuds (I will update blog!). I really wanted Pink Fir Apple but this had either sold out (in an hour) or had not come down on the lorry (Charlotte was one that didn't arrive).
Did you have to queue for ages at the tills?
Came away with a lot of seeds (swapped for them).
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no queues at the till but had to queue to get in as I arrived 15mins before it opened then waited until Mr Blanc had finished his address to the assembled ... overall trip took 1hr 15mins including travel there and back ...female on a mission !! as its only up the road I can go at a quieter time to browes!
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I did quite well in the queue, but DebP was caught much further back! (too much time having a nosey!) ;D
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Right, already bought Sarpo Mira just after Christmas!
Rest of varieties - Orla, Druid, Edzell Blue, Ambo, Saxon, Ballydoon, Shetland Black, Salad Blue, Yukon Gold, Moulin Rouge, Mayan Twilight, Golden Wonder, Mayan Queen, Puritan, Winston, Kerrs Pink, Picasoo, Mr Little's Yetholm Gypsy, Foremost, Vales Emerald, Sarpo Una.
Bunyards Exhibition broad beans, Peas - Progress No 9, Kelvedon Wonder, Greenshaft. Onions - Hercules, Centurion. Shallots - Picasso. Garlic (Thermithing!).
Seeds: Onion - Strigonovsky, Squash - Olive, Tomatoes Cyril's Choice & Kenches Gold, Runner beans - Coal, Climbing French beans - Bridgwater & Lucky Dip!, Dwarf French beans - Early Warwick & Jersey, bean of some sort - Slovakian "Soup" Bean. I decided against getting Pea - Unusual!
Also, bought some seeds in shop - courgettes and others (can't remember what ones, still in boot of car, methinks)
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Has anyone tried smile ;D They are cute i got some for this year! hope they do well!
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Hiya, tizzy, welcome to the site ;D
keep us informed, may try some for my grandson next year :)
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Hi Tizzie and welcome to the site...
I looked for Smile at Potato day but didn't see any, they are a red duke cross so should be good. Someone on here used them as there avatar...
;D
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I had a marvellous time - twas a potato frenzy! I went wanting Anya and Lady Christl but both of those had sold out.
I ended up with Bambino, Cara, Setanta, Rocket, Wilja and Galactica. Never tried any of them before apart from Cara so it'll be a voyage of discovery! Prices were 15p a tuber which I thought for the choice and the chance to buy small quantities was a bit of a bargain. :) :)
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Went to Bowburn potato day at Co.Durham. There was a huge queue even before the doors had opened!!
Inside it was a bit of a frenzy and certain varieities sold out v. quickly with people still queueing to get in the place.
Got potatoes for myself as well as for 4 work colleagues:-
Rocket
Anya
Nicola
Lady Christl
Marfona
International Kidney
Kestrel . . . had forgotten my list of must-haves so ended up with a mix of 1st & 2nd earlies and no maincrop !
Debs
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Has anyone tried swift. I think they are the earliest of the earlies.
Janet.
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we grew swift last year, in the poly, nice early but gone back to rocket this year :)
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From what i've heard of swift, they incredibly early but lack the taste of others that would mature a week or so later.
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Yes, we haven't bought any Swift this year for that reason. We've got past the excitement of the extra early ones, and decided not to bother any more.
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Thanks for that folks. I might get a few for pots. The farmer we have bought our new potatoes from in the past said rocket are earlier than his but not as tasty, he grows Ulster Sceptre. We tried both last year not realising they were different potatoes & were disappointed with the taste of the Rocket. They are just known as Cheshires in these here parts.
Janet.
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I went to the Potato day at Wyvale GS in Crowland... Trouble is my Wife didn't notice on their web site that it's next weekend!
I still managed to get everything that was on my list.
4kg Cara
2kg Desiree
3kg Sarpo Axona
3kg Sarpo Mira
I've been wanting to grow Sarpo's ever since I saw them on The Big Dig. Never seen them in and garden centers and never got around to sending off for them so was I happy when I saw them at Wyvale.
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I dont think we have a potato day here in surrey :'(
But I went to Woodcote Green Nurseries today and bought
Salad - Charlotte
1st Earlie - Red Duke of York
2nd Earlies - Kestrel
Mains - Maris Piper and Rooster
whole lot cost £3.49
I grew Kestrel and Desiree last year used 24 seeds and it was far too many spuds for us and friends ended up with our gluts
This time i still have 24 seeds but it will be more spread out so i should be able to cope ;)
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Radio interview at the Whitchurch potato day
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2009/01/25/potato_day_feature.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2009/01/25/potato_day_feature.shtml)
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Didn't make the potato day but managed to find a stall in banbury market that was selling seed potatos at 1.50 for 10, plus picked a few up on ebay....
Pink Fir Apple
King Edward
Maris Piper
Desiree....
So that's salads, roasties, chips and bakers in that order might try chitting up some Vivaldi's and/or Roosters from the supermarket too....
chrisc
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Im off to one on the 14th !!
I picked up some at The Range inc, smile, Home guard and pent javlin.
Not been able to find any Cara about !
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Think we'll also venture to the Clwyd potato day at the end of the month - want to pick up some Pink Fir Apples.
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no close potato days near me but got 6 varieties to grow in containers at homebase on Sunday.
three varieties came in packs of 5 tubers at the price of £1.99 ea - 1st earlies: Colleen and a 2nd earlies: Smile and Pixie.
the other three varieties came in a combined pack which also included 3 grow sacks at the great price of £4.50. the varities which were three in a pack included 1st early: Foremost, 2nd early: Nadine and early main crop: Desiree.
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Ryton still have pots ,after very carefully reading the list we bought Druid and Puritan !!
Tizzie -We got Smile from Wyevale last year.
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We had Druids last year, they were excellent :) :) :)
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We introduced a few friends to the joys of the Whitchurch potato day this year and collectively went a bit spud-mad *sigh*
Picked up some old favourites (Pink Fir Apple, Sharpe's Express, Epicure, Yukon Gold), some new to us (Swift, International Kidney, Red Robin), and some experimental ones Jalving gave out for user testing (liked their Blue Moon last year).
Unfortunately Vitelotte wasn't available - enjoyed growing those last year, a **** to find when trying to lift them, but they make great purple mash - so went for Skerry Blue instead.
Not exactly encouraged by the above remarks about the taste of Swift, though...