Topic: potato varieties

[calendula]

thought it might be a nice idea to have your thoughts on the potato varieties you have grown this year and if there is a consensus this could be useful information to have in the archives - I know flavour is subjective but it becomes more objective if a few think the same

anyway: texture, yield, flavour

so far we have sampled our first, first early, Annabelle

fantastic waxy texture; yield average; flavour lovely, quite creamy - 7/10

now we are onto our second, first early Homeguard

again great waxy texture; yield very good (larger potato size than Annabelle); flavour excellent, - 8/10

[Bugloss2009]

why did Home Guard go out of fashion? Looks like a nice potato

[calendula]

shame hardly anyone wanted to contribute to this  :( but never mind I will finish what I started  ;D

picked our third first earlies Accord

texture supposed to be waxy but proved to be quite floury (weather?); yield average; flavour nice though 5/10 (would put this in the multi purpose bracket but when you want a salad variety you expect that, so low points)

next we go on to our second earlies  :)

[muddylou]

I've just started on my first earlies (Lady Chrystal), moderate yeild but I roasted them today and they roasted perfectly. My second earlies are Kestrel (haven't dug any yet), my Mains are Lady Balfour, the haulms are getting very large now (I haven't grown these before).   

[gwynnethmary]

We've just finished Kestrel- not an huge yield from each plant, but very good texture and flavour.  next we'll try the Nadine.

[Flighty]

Had a few Foremost and Swift first earlies both of which I thought were rather bland!
Also had some Charlotte second earlies which is the salad potato par excellence.
Yields for all of them have been no better than average, which is not really surprising this year.

[chriscross1966]

I''ve only havested first earlies so far (and still ahve some to go...)

Lady Christl.... gorgeous flavour. Took some potato into work and shared with a mate there 9he trained as a chef) and hois first comment was "Mm.... variety?... Recipe?"...

Rocket.... l;ived up to reputatioon for earliness and I got a better crop than the LC's (they're all in pots) but it's not such a good spud tastewise... not bad, texture is good, but the LC's massacre it for flavour.....Makes a decent Roastie BTW...

Will grow both next year... a few Rocket's for early early eariels starting off in GH etc and LC for my most of summer potato salad....
Noticed on the plot today that the Anya foliage is dying down, will have to harvest soon....

chrisc

[kt.]

We've just finished Kestrel- not an huge yield from each plant, but very good texture and flavour. 

Quite surprising to read about your Kestrel.  I always get huge harvests from Kestrel and a lot of them are massive spuds too.  My number one choice for a muti-use second early.  (Can almost be classed as an extra early main crop too).  It usually has little if any disease and stores very well.

[landimad]

I always find that you will choose your variety dependant on the area you living. My father always grew Pentland Dell back in Somerset, where as I prefer Charlotte over where I am in the East Midlands. But I am trying out a bag of Exquisa from Tesco which are not on sale to the private grower as yet. I know they will not keep, but the flavour was good from the bag we had for a meal one time and I thought it would not do any harm in trying to grow them for fun.

[grannyjanny]

I've thrown a bag of exquisa in the bin. I might root them out to grow for Christmas. Thanks Landi.
We grew Ulster Sceptre last year, the traditional "Cheshire'' potato but it was not a patch on Swift, melt in the mouth. So much so SOMEONE planted 86 of them ::) this year. I did like Vivaldi, the slimmers friend ;).

[chriscross1966]

why did Home Guard go out of fashion? Looks like a nice potato

I don't think it has much disease resistance in a "bad" year.... They had a string of good years when it was introduced, so it was grown a lot as it has good flavour, is very versatile and a big cropweight..... In some ways the Rooster of its day (though Rooster is a bit more disease resistant).....

Hopefully ifwe're fairly blight-free this summer (fingers crossed) then the success of the Sarpo strains with the supermarkets will back off, they're a ghastly thing when baked if nothing else......

chrisc

[delboy]

First Earlies were: Sharpes Express(not one showed - all rotted!); Accord - OK but nowt special; and Bonnie Dundee - Gorgeous 9/10 easily.

Kestrel are looking like they'll not be ready for lifting until early August.

Main crops are: Sante, King Edwards, and Setanta.

Sarpo types look the biz but I'll never bother with them again as they are at best tasteless.

[Stevens706]

Dug up my 3rd plant of Arron Pilot for yesterday lunch, more than enough for a family of 4, plus holds together well when boiled. Would always recommend them as a first early.

[gypsy]

I just grew Maris Bard and a couple of rows of saved potatoes (forgot what variety as usual). The M Bard are very tasty and plenty on each plant so far.
I watered them a few times in the dry weather, soaking them well.

We had rain this morning, just when I need to dig up some more...

[gwynnethmary]

We've just finished Kestrel- not an huge yield from each plant, but very good texture and flavour. 

Quite surprising to read about your Kestrel.  I always get huge harvests from Kestrel and a lot of them are massive spuds too.  My number one choice for a muti-use second early.  (Can almost be classed as an extra early main crop too).  It usually has little if any disease and stores very well.

As a complete novice, I suppose I have no idea really of how many is a good number from each potato!  That's one thing the packet never tells you!  I planted one kestrel as my A4A challenge  in a black sack, and got about 12  potatoes of varying sizes.  I planted another 4 at the lottie (it was a small bag from Wilkos), had on average about 7 from each, 2 or 3 big ones, a couple the size of small eggs and the rest like marbles.  I had left them for 13 weeks.  Did I dig them up too early?

[calendula]

First Earlies were: Sharpes Express(not one showed - all rotted!); Accord - OK but nowt special; and Bonnie Dundee - Gorgeous 9/10 easily.

delboy - are the Bonnie Dundee a waxy salad type or ? agree with the Accord

reckon I'm ging to have to try lady christl next year though going by comments so far

[Flighty]

Gwynnethmary Kestrels are a second early that generally wouldn't be lifted until August. However if they'd already flowered and the foliage died back then no problem, and  I'd certainly be happy with what you harvested from them. Had you left them in the ground a few more weeks then the smaller ones may well have been a bit bigger. They store well and taste good so deserve their reputation as a really good potato.  :)

[gwynnethmary]

They didn't flower at all Flighty, and still were looking green and healthy, so maybe I should have just left them a bit longer in the ground!  I have some Charlottes, Nicola and Nadine, also Pink Fir Apple and Rooster, and they're all in flower- can't wait to have a firkle!

[antipodes]

Not sure we have the same varieties as in the UK?
I had an early called Agata:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/potpom/var/agata/agatae.shtml
Excellent yield and big sized spuds, with a nice flavour and thin non-bitter skins. Definitely have those again.

[Flighty]

Gwynnethmary you should have let them flower and/or let the foliage die back! Do that next year and you should see more, bigger potatoes.
Dig the Charlottes up as you want them, and not all at once, as they taste so much better straight out the ground.  Mine have been delicious!
Happy firkling!  :)