Potato ID

[adeymoo]

Had a stupid idea when I planted my potatoes in March that I would remember which potatoes were which by remembering which bed I dug first i.e weed free bed got Lady Crystl, grassy bed got Belle de Fontenay, and overgrown bed got Rudolph. Times past and I forgot to mark on my allotment plan the positions, Doh!

I have read that Lady Crystl rarely flowers so that may be one option lost. Distinguishing feature is one bed has leaves with purple colouration where leaf joins stem; is this Rudoph? If I rummage in the soil will young Rudolph potatoes be red? While drawing soil up to potatoes in two different beds I revealed medium sized creamy skinned potatoes which seemed odd as Lady Crystl are early and Belle are early mains and with Lady getting a 4week headstart on other potatoes I would of expected a large size difference to aid identification. But no!

All haulms across 3 beds are the same size and no flower buds showing yet. Any assistance would be gratefully received.

[adeymoo]

[aj]

Does it matter particularly? Just have a furtle when the haulms start to die back and then start eating them.

[jimtheworzel]

Does it matter particularly? Just have a furtle when the haulms start to die back 

after all a spud is a spud.

[grannyjanny]

Looking at the description of each potato you'll probably know which is which when you come to eat them. Are you wanting to compare for taste to see which you would grow again?

[adeymoo]

grannyjanny, I want to make sure I dig up the early Lady Crystl as Belle and Rudolph are main crop intended for winter storage and use. If I dig up Belle up now then I will end up with Lady Crystl rotting in the shed as I do not think it stores well.

[antipodes]

It's odd to me to have belle de fontenay as a main crop??? In France this variety is an early, even a super early! I am already eating mine and they are delicious!

[aj]

Google and note down the descriptions of all 3.

Furtle in a few weeks and see which are which

Label once you know.

[chriscross1966]

ANd next year label the crops adn make a map :D.....

[cornykev]

Rudolph's are the purple colouring leaves and are reds so you can furkle to check
Belle de thingies are an early main and should I would have thought not be as big as the earlies
But in my unprofessional opinion if the Lady's were put in and it was cold they may have been laying there waiting for the soil to warm, when the Belles went in was it warmer and they started growing at the same time, if that makes sense.( I think I've confused myself now )
Did you chit the spuds because the earlies like good strong chits to give them a head start.

[Deb P]

Not sure if the size of the plants will be an indicator in this funny weather phase, the potatoes I put in early April are about a foot high now, but some leftover Maris Piper I had chitted and bunged in a new bit of cleared ground as an afterthought three weeks ago have almost caught them up!? Bonkers......