Chiiting Potatoes - and which ones?

[Karen Atkinson]

Am going to buy my potatoes today. I would like early, mid and late - which ones should I buy, and I am right that I need to start chitting them now aren't I? (live in NE England)

[Karen Atkinson]

[marc555]

im in NE England aswell and have started chitting mine, last year i planted rocket as early, charlotte as mid and cara as late. This year im just doing the rocket and cara.

[Karen Atkinson]

Thanks.
did Cara store okay? is it for mash or boiled potatoes? (sorry, you can tell I'm newish)

[sheddie]

Hi,

Not sure where in the North East you are, but Wikos in Gateshead have quite a selection:

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/venda?ex=co_wizr-locayta&template=wz_locayta&pageno=1&perpage=10&collate=pdxttype%3Apdxtcolourn%3Apdxtbrandn%3Apdxtsizen&threshold=43&fieldrtype=type&termtextrtype=invt&typertype=exact&typekeywordsearch=keyword&termtextkeywordsearch=seed+potatoes

For me, 1st early - Arran Pilot & Pentland Javelin, 2nd early - Charlotte & Maris Peer and maincrop - Maris Piper & King Edward

And yes, I would get them chitting now. I would just have myself a nice browse through the tatties as some are a little better suited to different things - some are good for baked spuds, some for salad, some for chippers etc, so depends what you're after really - have fun! ;D

Whatever you go for, I'm sure they'll taste different class to anything you buy anyhow!

Sheddie

[marc555]

Hi the rocket were boiled as with the charlotte and the cara were great as jacket potatoes, stored ok for a bit but did go soft after a while

[laurieuk]

The crop,taste and cooking qualities vary with each garden soil so really you need to try a few varieties to see what do best in your garden for your needs. I grow Rocket.Kestel and Cara. A friend nearby only does Foremost but that is useless in my soil. I get my seed pots from a local Allotment group and they arrive before christmas and I put them in trays for chitting straitaway so as to avoid spindly shoots. In our local gardeners associatin we have a competition for 10 chitted potatoes at our monthly meeting in March to encourage members to chit. A spring show near Canterbury have a class for chitted pots and thier show is in April.

[cornykev]

You'd better get a move on as there's probably not a lot of choice left now
Earlies:  Rocket
Seconds:  Kestrel or Charlotte
Main;  Cara, I still have some left from last year
Mine have been chitting for neary 4 weeks now
8)

[manicscousers]

Earlies home guard, red duke of york
second early smile, kestrel, charlotte
main desiree, we like red spuds, less slug damage  ;D

[colt]

Earlies- Rocket
Mains- Vivaldi

The Vivaldi are in my opinion the best ever, you can use them like earlies, roast, boil, chip, mash and jackets. They are also good if you on a low carb diet too

[Karen Atkinson]

Thankyou all so much for this! Am a bit concerned that I have missed the boat re chitting tho. Still, usually spring comes late up here in the NE so will have a go anyway. Are they supposed to be kept in dark or light re chitting?

[jennym]

Keep them in the light, the little shoots get too drawn in dark conditions.
I'm chitting Anya, but can only really grow earlies here due to blight.

[detailista]

I've only just bought my potatoes. 

I got Arran Pilot  and Pink Fir Apple  from wilkos in Newcastle. I'll purchase a few more types when I find some I fancy.  It's definately not too late, in some Wilkos you'll find that they are already quite well chitted.  My purchases today had 1-2 inch chits! 

I really enjoyed Pink Fir Apple last year for unusual shape and nutty taste.

[chriscross1966]

Lady Christl are a good alrounder, nice as early new potatoes or leave them to get bigger for baking. pink Fir Apple taste gorgeous and store like stones, I've still got loads from last year and they're holding well....

Setanta is a good variety, basically a disease and drought resistant Rooster, and a supreme baker. Sarpo Axona is a good baker adn chipper but you can't boil them. Rockets live up to their name and get big if left but can be a bit bland, International Kidney taste great, especially with plenty of seaweed extract added to the soil, plus I'm a sucker for coloured skins and flesh, Congo crops well but is an epically late main but the intense purple colouor is good for "Goth Mash" for Halloween, Highland Burgundy Red and Salad Blue can both be treated as second earlies and make spectacular chips..... there are lots of others.....

[Deb P]

'Goth mash' had me snorting with laughter, brilliant! ;D

I've been really boring this year and bought all my potatoes at Wilco's, they did small bags of 10 potatoes which is just right for my raised beds, so I stuck to my old favourites; Charlotte, Kestrel, International Kidney, Nicole and Nadia, trying Rooster too. They are all chitting away and I'm putting down black plastic over the beds to warm them for a week before planting them out under fleece.

[chriscross1966]

'Goth mash' had me snorting with laughter, brilliant! ;D

I've been really boring this year and bought all my potatoes at Wilco's, they did small bags of 10 potatoes which is just right for my raised beds, so I stuck to my old favourites; Charlotte, Kestrel, International Kidney, Nicole and Nadia, trying Rooster too. They are all chitting away and I'm putting down black plastic over the beds to warm them for a week before planting them out under fleece.

I've got a few spare COngo if you want a couple Deb :D

[Deb P]

Yes please, pm'd you! ;D