Floury spuds

[KeithR]

I don't know if I should post this here or in the cooking forum but I have had a problem with my spuds. I bought the 'Heirloom' (10 tubers of 6 varieties) selection from T & M all appears to have gone well but I am now digging my second earlies and when we cook them they are extremely floury to say the least. This was exactly the same with the two lots of first earlies.
The varieties are: - Sharpes Express and Red Duke of York (both 1st Earlies) and Catriona ( 2nd early).
My wife is adamant that it is not the cooking as she has tried boiling, microwave and steaming with the same results.
Is it therefore my growing, even though I did exactly the same as last year when we did not have this problem. Any ideas gratefully received as I am getting a little fed up with mash.

KeithR

[KeithR]

[jennym]

I don't think its the cooking or the growing that's at fault, its the type of potato maybe.
I have grown Red Duke of York, and like its flavour a lot, but its a floury/general purpose potato, not a waxy potato, if that's what you are looking for. I believe the other 2 are sold as general purpose, which means again, they are not particularly waxy.
Not a potato expert here, there are a few on the forum so no doubt they'll comment. For the sort I think you want, maybe you'd do better next year with Charlotte, or Lady Christl, or others described as "salad" or "waxy" potatoes.

[laurieuk]

Each variety of potato will vary in amount of crop,keeping quality ,taste and cooking depending on the soil in your garden. I grow Rocket, Kestril and Cara which suit us very well but might be useless to others. I have a friend just along the road that only grows Foremost but that one is no good in our garden.It really is a case of trial and error.

[Curryandchips]

As already said, there are many variables, but the variety of potato is probably the most dominant, and you really need something waxy. I have grown International Kidney for the second year, as I find these to hold their shape very well, and of course the taste is also superb.

[Sarah-b]

Hi there,
In the first year on our plot, the spuds just totally broke apart when we cooked them - one minute they were looking good in the pan and then the next minute, they were mash. We haven't had the same problem since then - i put it down to growing conditions - poor soil and maybe too dry? Does that match your conditions. things have improved since then - and this year, we have don very well with spuds - red duke of york in particular have a great flavour, the others we have grown this year are arron pilot and romano.
SB

[KeithR]

Hi Sarah,
That sounds just like what is happening. I only took over the allotment 12 months  or so ago and the spuds are the first crop in a newly cleared bed. No manure or anything so hopefully now the allotment is fully dug and I am getting the crop and fertilizer rotation organised things should be much better.

[mc55]

its my first year too.  My pentland javelin are breaking up and turning to mash in the pan.  I didn't water them at all, although they did have plenty of manure and newspaper when planted.  The soil is very dry and dusty.  Hoping my desiree will be better.

[DenBee]

We've had exactly the same issue.  We divided a big bed into two.  Half we planted with Sharpe's Express earlies (which on googling just now, are decribed as "floury").  The other half are Desirée.  The Sharpe's have been falling apart on boiling.  The Desirées we had today stayed together beautifully.  So it's not the growing conditions for us, because each spud was grown in exactly the same way.

[Paulines7]

I have Sharpes Express too and found they break up on cooking.  >:(
They are less likely to do it if I cook them really slowly.  I wonder how they would be if they were steamed.  Has anyone on here ever steamed potatoes?

[moonbells]

Hi there,
In the first year on our plot, the spuds just totally broke apart when we cooked them - one minute they were looking good in the pan and then the next minute, they were mash. We haven't had the same problem since then - i put it down to growing conditions - poor soil and maybe too dry? Does that match your conditions. things have improved since then - and this year, we have don very well with spuds - red duke of york in particular have a great flavour, the others we have grown this year are arron pilot and romano.
SB

Lucky you - mine are very small, very floury and a mare to cook in one piece!

I haven't been watering them, and until this last week, it's been as dry as a bone.

(42mm of rain on Weds/Thurs if you're wondering - wasn't it a deluge?)

moonbells