Main potato blight resistant - latest thoughts?

[pg]

I know we talk a lot about potato varieties on A4All but I wondered if your thoughts on the best blight resistant main variety had altered after this year's experiences.

Blight arrived here in Shropshire around July/August and I'm sure it will happen again next year.

I'm looking for your suggestions on the best blight resistant variety (foliage & tuber) that not only gives a good crop, but stores well and is a good baker. I know, I know, but any suggestions?

I'm thinking about Sarpo Mira. But I'd love to plant Pentland Squire again, if it can be found, as the taste was so good.

[pg]

[OllieC]

Sarpo Mira.

A horrible spud - not just dull but the only flavour there was like mud. I thought it would be a good vessel for butter but it was still not a nice eat. The only thing I've ever dug up to throw away - I'm not surprised the blight doesn't like it - even fungi have standards!

[Unwashed]

Didn't grow them this year, but Spirit showed impressive resistence last year.

I believe a question we should be asking ourselves is whether genetically-engineered blight resistence would be a good thing, because I don't see traditional methods doing enough to combat the disease.  I've heard much gnashing of teeth over GM, but it has the potential to be environmentally far more benign and I'd like to see the gardening community having a rational informed debate about it.

[pg]

Thumbs down for Sarpo Mira and one for Spirit so far.

Unwashed - never heard of Spirit. Is it an old variety? Was it a good eat?

[Unwashed]

Unwashed - never heard of Spirit. Is it an old variety? Was it a good eat?

I think it's very new.  It was fine as I remember, though I'd have mashed it rather than had it as a baker.

[Ellen K]

I will be growing earlies from now on - Lady Crystl and Kestrel next year, though as much to miss the slugs as the blight.  But (hope over experience) will also be giving Kifli from T&M a go and that is said to be tasty with blight resistance.

[JENIAN]

Grew Sarpo Axona this year.  No blight at all.  Excellant for baking, roasting & chipping, you need to watch them while boiling for mashing as they will go into the water.  They were next to varieties that had blight on the tops but I cut the tops off them and it did not get into tubers.

Ian ;)

[OllieC]

I believe a question we should be asking ourselves is whether genetically-engineered blight resistence would be a good thing, because I don't see traditional methods doing enough to combat the disease.  I've heard much gnashing of teeth over GM, but it has the potential to be environmentally far more benign and I'd like to see the gardening community having a rational informed debate about it.

You're right. Baby/bathwater?

[Unwashed]

You're right. Baby/bathwater?

Yes, I think so.  There are legitimate concerns of course, but there are advantages to GM too, and I would like to be open-minded about the issues.

[darkbrowneggs]

Sarpo Mira.

A horrible spud - not just dull but the only flavour there was like mud. I thought it would be a good vessel for butter but it was still not a nice eat. The only thing I've ever dug up to throw away - I'm not surprised the blight doesn't like it - even fungi have standards!

I agree - tried it twice just in case the first time was a bad year, but never again.  I think its a bit like Flyaway carrots,  resistant to carrot fly but only because it doesnt taste of carrot   ::)

[chriscross1966]

Sarpo Axona are my curren tmainbaking potato in this years harvest, I'll be moving onto the Mira when I run low.... all I can say is that they taste OK if baked in an oven.... dunno if faking it in a microwave will get you anywhere tho.... Useless trying to boil them adn they need some care when chipping.... the boiling issue makes them a slightly issue-clad roaster....  Can't fault their productivity though.... plenty of nice big spuds.

Apparently theres a new Sarpo strain (Kilfy?) that tastes a lot better than some of the older ones... BTW, I've never found any o fthe Sarpos to be as bad a s Saxon or Harmony... massive spuds but taste of nothing and don't cook properly under any circumstances as far as I can tell....

[pg]

I'm going to get my seed potatoes from Tattieman's business jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk and I see that of the Sarpo range he omly stocks the Mira variety, which after the taste results from A4Allers I'll give a miss.

So I'm thinking Setanta or Toluca - any thoughts, experiences, tastes on these?

[realfood]

I have grown Sarpo Axona for many years, even before it became available to the general public, as I tested it alongside Mira. It is a wonderful tattie, very blight resistant( see the photo on this page http://www.growyourown.info/page146a.html ), slug resistant, produces huge crops and will store without sprouting till April. It is always the last potato that I have in store.
It has a good strong earthy taste, floury, which may not be to everybodies taste. I always micro them to keep all the vitamins and taste.
Mira I thought did not taste as good, but both potatoes improve in storage.
I would hate to be without Axona.
I have Setanta as well and must do a taste test between them and give you my opinion. Setanta is not as blight resistant as Axona.

[cornykev]

I was sent 10 Sarpo Mira freebies and  found them in abundance, clean and tasty.  ???     ;D ;D ;D

[Tattieman]

Well I would still say if you are looking for a potato that will not go down with blight then the number one is still Sarpo Mira. After that it is Axona and then Toluca and Setanta. Now I have to be honest and say that I have not tried some of the new Sarpo ones yet and they could have a better blight resistance than Toluca and Setanta.

If your going by taste then I would rate them in the order of Toluca - Axona - Setanta -Mira.

I would say the all round best one is Axona and I don't stock them so that is my honest opinion on them.

[darkbrowneggs]

Just out of interest I think that the ground they are grown in plus the weather conditions for the year has a marked affect on the taste of potatoes.

About 30 years ago I bought some of the first "re-available" Kipflers Pink Fir Apple, and grew them for several years with great success regarding taste.  I then moved to a heavy clay soil, and found the taste not to my liking, even after trying them several years running

For a replacement I now grow Harlequin or Ratte.

My current favourites for flavour and reasonable cropping are (in no particular order)
Rocket
Swift
Lady Christl
some in pots in the greenhouse for extra earlies

Belle de Fontenay have grown this for years and enjoyed it
Harlequin (heavy cropper and good keeper on my soil)
Arran Pilot (my Dad always grew these)
Julliette
Roseval - almost impossible to find seed, but always does well for me and tastes lovely saute or roast in oven

Record
Golden Wonder these 2 are a bit dry and especially so this year
Melody - new one to me but nice clean looking and good taste, plus reasonable crop
Lady Balfour - reliable and good taste

And I am trying, though not really into yet Toluca and Myatts Ashleaf

[pg]

This is all some great stuff, thanks for your thoughts.

Haven't decided on final potato choice yet so if anyone else has ideas on blght resistant varieties then add your experiences!

[realfood]

Roseval is my favourite tasting salad potato, though prone to blight. I keep my own seed potatoes as it is not readily available.

[darkbrowneggs]

This is all some great stuff, thanks for your thoughts.

Haven't decided on final potato choice yet so if anyone else has ideas on blight resistant varieties then add your experiences!

Sorry - I didn't make it clear my list of favourites was simply based on taste and reasonable cropping abilities (I am more interested in flavour than massive crop capabilities) so not really considering blight resistance. 

I have tried the blight resistant ones, but am not regrowing any of them.  This is my first year with Toluca so will let you know what I think within the next couple of weeks or so, but I did have a "taster" early in the season, and I think I am going to like them.

[pg]

Darkbrowneggs - great to see you are so interested in taste! Me too. So I'd love to find the ultimate potato that not only tastes fab but will also be still around to get eaten.

You've all given me some great ideas for varieties - but where do you get/buy your seed potatoes? A ist of potential places to get them would be useful.