Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: 1066 on November 26, 2009, 17:50:29
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Hi
I'm trying to decide which varieties of potatoes to order (sharing with friends and family) and have been asked to order a red skinned potato. Trouble is I don't know which ones are good and why. Can anyone recommend a variety for me to try. Was planning on ordering from Alan Romans
Thanks
1066
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I don't know if Alan Romans do them but I personally would grow Rooster again, they were an excellent all rounder and didn't cause me any trouble.
Worth a try if you can get hold of them :-)
Helen x
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Desiree is popular, and another good all rounder
http://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/desiree/
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Definately agree with Roosters,but I'd also add Romano as a suggestion as they store very well and are also a good all rounder.
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Red Duke of York is excellent... esp as a baker/roast/mash... being relatively early it avoids the blight and most slug damage... :)
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Pink Fir Apple. OK it's a big thug of a plant and the yields aren't as good as some modern varieties but its wierd knobbly tubers taste fantastic, it's a maincrop and they keep welll.... the taste of new potatos without all the faffing around trying to grow autumn potatos in the greenhouse.... and they make exquisite roasties, don't bother peeling them... scrub them over and cut them into chunks... bizarrely they make good chips.... once again, don't bother peeling, just pick out the longer tubers and cut them into lengthways into chips... they seem to be moderately blight tolerant in my experience
(http://www.livemind.co.uk/xmasblog/spud.jpg)
A fairly insane one (I've seen worse but not by much)
(http://www.saundersallotment.co.uk/Resources/Dcp_1139%20-%20Pink%20fir%20potatoes.jpg)
More normal looking PFA
chrisc
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I only plant three varieties each year Red Dukes, PFAs and main crop (which varies each year)
Red dukes early, PFAs late and something in the middle
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Thanks for all your suggestions :)
The info I forgot to give was what else I plan to grow, a few each of - Lady Chrystal, Pink Fir, Salad Blue (cos I fancy a few blue chips) and maybe a smattering of Mayan Gold for good measure.
So the votes so far are: -
• Rooster x2
• Desiree x1
• Romano x1
• Red Duke of York x2
• PFA x 1
• Norway - nil points
Having read the blurb on Alan Romans site, he says Red Duke of York – First Early would be on his proverbial desert island, Rooster – Late Maincrop is good for flavour but lacks eelworm and blight resistance, Desiree – Early Maincrop, very popular waxy and strong flavour and is drought resistant but can suffer from scab, and Romano – Early Maincrop less prone to scab and good blight and slug resistance
Decisions, decisions, decisions!!
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Whilst life is short, don't feel you have to plant every possible variety this coming year. Its better to plant a decent quantity of a variety (ie a row, 1.0 - 1.5 Kgs or more) and get a more average idea of how it does rather than just a handfull.
As posted above, I've found two varieties that suit my soil and my taste buds. Then each year I tyr something different. Maybe next year I'll have three good varieties, but I always like to try something different.
But thats just my opinion - there's no right or wrong way.
No spud grows equally as well in different soils and everybody taste buds are different.
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Pesky Wabbit - agree whole heartedly with what you are saying.
This year was a very different crop from last year - we had a dry spring here and the spuds took a long while to take off.
I've found the PFA great, and also want a 1st early so based on recommendations on this site have chosen Lady Chrystal - the one I grew this year Foremost was very disappointing. And the Salad Blue are for fun.The rest I grow this year is up for grabs!
Having said all that we don't eat lots of spuds so a few of each makes life a bit more interesting. And I still have an area I want to clear which will be perfect for them.
Still appreciate peoples experiences and feedback tho ;D
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You'd got two votes for PFA and now that's a third :D......
[jedi mind trick] "This is the potato you are looking for [/jedi mind trick]
After not being too impressed with various other varieties this year for assorted reasons next year, apart from the row or two of PFA I'll be going to a potato day and coming back with a veritable harlequin of a potato patch.... already have three new varieties to try (a couple of the Sarpo blight resistant ones and a blue potato..... WHy not do that?
chrisc
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How about Red Robin? We tried it this year and were very happy with it.
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Here's another vote for Desiree - utterly reliable, good size and crop, and not much slug damage.
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I am a fan of Desiree. I personally do not like the taste or texture of Romano and they take a lot longer to cook.
Grew Red Duke of York three years ago, very attractive plants, crop devastated by slugs.
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I am a fan of Desiree. I personally do not like the taste or texture of Romano and they take a lot longer to cook.
Grew Red Duke of York three years ago, very attractive plants, crop devastated by slugs.
That surprises me Digeroo as we get very little slug damage on our Red Dukes... :-\
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You'd got two votes for PFA and now that's a third :D......
[jedi mind trick] "This is the potato you are looking for [/jedi mind trick]
ah but I've taken the antidote to the jedi mind trick ;D ;D ;D (bluff bluff bluff)
Compothefirst - thanks for the suggestion, alan roman's don't stock it but I'll keep it in mind.
The slug damage thing is important for me, my charlottes this year were well and truly munched
So Pink Fir are in and I think it will be a toss up between Red Duke of York or Desiree
My nearest potato day is Brighton, it all depends on whether I'm around that weekend or not (I wasn't last year...)
Thanks again for the feedback / info
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My votes are for Desiree as a maincrop and RDoY as a first that is on my list every year. I have no slug problems with either. I like Rooster but they were a bit damaged so going to give them another chance to see how they are. Romano got one chance and haven't grown them since.
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red Pontiac might be good choice.
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You'd got two votes for PFA and now that's a third :D......
[jedi mind trick] "This is the potato you are looking for [/jedi mind trick]
ah but I've taken the antidote to the jedi mind trick ;D ;D ;D (bluff bluff bluff)
Aren't you suppost to say that Jedi mind trickery only works on those lower order creatures, like droids and numpties ?
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I grew both roosters and pink fir and would recomend both for taste and storage qualities
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[Red Duke of York is excellent... esp as a baker/roast/mash... being relatively early it avoids the blight and most slug damage... :)]
Thanks for that Saddad.
i grew 9 50ft rows of saxon (whites) this year.
99% had to be thrown away due to slugs.
will try duke of york this year
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Thanks for that Saddad.
i grew 9 50ft rows of saxon (whites) this year.
99% had to be thrown away due to slugs.
will try duke of york this year
We used to have a lot of trouble with slug damage but an old potato grower told us just to grow earlies and plant them in March. This did work for us but the main thing is to get the beds raised which takes time and we have done this now and can grow later spuds as well.
We got some Motzart red skinned potatoes from Morrisons green grocers last year and they sprouted over night. So it was either compost or plant. We planted them and got a good crop from them.
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Aren't you suppost to say that Jedi mind trickery only works on those lower order creatures, like droids and numpties ?
;D ;D ;D
I think as the votes are all in and Norway still have nil point, I'm going to try Red Duke of York 1st off and then work my wasy through the list in the coming years
Thanks for the info :)
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Try to find one called " FRANCELINE " you will never want to be without it !!
Beautiful kidney shaped bright red tubers.
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Roseval... a long oval, is also worth a look although it doesn't like really heavy soil in my experience... :)
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So much choice and not enough ground ;)
What is Franceline particualrly good for in terms of cooking? It may be at a potato day.......
Sounds like roseval is a no no for me then
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I'll add my vote to the Red Dukes pile, we leave half the row to bulk up into excellent bakers ;D
Had Roseval a few years back, they were lovely, but havent managed to find any since - where do you get yours from Saddad ?
Also if late blight is a problem try Sarpo Axona, they rescued a near disastrous spud harvest into a reasonable one