We have to order our potatoes soon and are thinking of having a change with the earlies. We have always grown pentland javelin but want a change next year. We like a waxy potato. Anyone have any advice for us.
My Choice would be 'Rocket'
A early early, white variety, that can get quite large for an early!
In fact I have only dug up about 60-70% of mine to date,meaning I haven't started on my 2nd earlies and maincrop such has been the crop this year.
I planted out last week in April started eating them early July, so you lot that can get earlier sowings in, might start harvesting in June.
I planted out 40 seed potatoes, or if you like a forty foot row in effect.
Note! The slugs like them as well :'(
Thanks Tee Gee
I had very poor results from Rocket this year- very poor yield and lots of holes- may have been wireworm rather than slugs, though, and partly down to the dry conditions. They were the only spuds I grew this year so can't suggest anything else.
Just wondering, is there anything in the way you grow them that makes spuds waxier- whatever variety I've grown, I've never achieved a nice waxy spud. :(
Lady Christl
we grew sharpe's express this year, they were great, going to try charlotte as an early next year :)
Quote from: sawfish on September 12, 2010, 18:17:32
Lady Christl
and us :)
The last couple of years we tried a handful of several different varieties and both years Lady Christl has been by far the best. :)
Arran Pilot were good for us this year
charlottes and rooster havent failed me this year or last even with blight in the area
Charlotte, Nicole and Nadine, also Kestrel were all good. We're getting a great yield from the Roosters , even though some have little round holes in them, but they're fine if you cut them out. I havn't found anything alive (or dead!) inside, just tiny traces of soil, so whatever made the holes must have exited the same way they entered! The Roosters are great for wedges , and my son and his fiancee baked a coupkle of really big ones the other night- said they were scrumtious! The Pink Fir Apple are a bit on the small side- maybe they need a bit longer in the ground.
I'll stick with my rocket, they did get a bit slugged this year but I put that down to the hot spell, my fault I should have watered more and TG's right about the size if you leave them in for a bit , check the rockets in my avatar. ;D ;D ;D
I love Pentland Javelin, also grew Maris Peer and Arran Pilot for earlies this year very happy with them all. Charlotte are fantastic as are Nadine, I grew Dunluce and Ulster Sceptre last year both yum, Ulster made fab roasties and chips :o,
Next year I'm thinking Witchill and Kestrel or Nadine.
Love waxy spuds too ;D
If you're talking earlies, quite a few of those mentioned - like Charlotte & Kestrel - aren't. And if you're talking waxy then Sharpe's Express aren't either. (All three are great and I grow them regularly.)
For waxy earlies: Lady C is currently first choice. Arran Pilot is good. So is Home Guard.
But all earlies turn floury as they get older & bigger. (Because they are designed to bulk up quickly.)
If you want a waxy potato: Pink Fir Apple; Charlotte; Roseval (If anyone has a source for these, please pm me, 'cos I can't find them and they're fab!)
I'd say Lady Christl for an early.,.. though I will have a few Rockets (and others if I hit a potato fair) nearly all of mine grow in pots at home... If you want Waxy then I'd look at Pink Fir Apple but it's about as far from an early as you can get.... (very) old fashioned (very) late maincrop... quite probably the best tasting potato you can grow in this country, certainl;y the best I've ever grown... mine seem scabproof and usually untroubled by slugs.... they'd have to taste good to survive in the catalogues though, they're sods to get started, thugs when they do (forget about "compact foliage", these are sprawling monsters) and they don't have anything under them worth a firkle until September.... that said they seem pretty disease resistant around my way.....
Also look at things like Charlotte and International Kidney.... if you can get a load of seaweed in the latter can effectively be grown as a Jersey Royal... all the JR's are is Int. Kidney grown in heavily seaweeded beds in Jersey....
chrisc
Pentland Javelin was a new variety for me last year and I was definitely pleased with the resultsAaron pilot have been "adequate" but not brill for me. Tried Swift last year for a first, but were no bigger and no more yield than the sets themselves so wont bother with them again.
Thanks for all of your help. We have decided on Lady Crystl and sticking with the Pentand Javelin. Going to try PFA and also stick with the Nadine
Personally I prefer Anya to PFA.
I use Charlotte as a first early even though it officially isn't, and it is a wonderful potato, ready every bit as quickly as official first earlies.
I am also interested in the new Sarpo Kifli, as although it is described as an early maincrop, it is also claimed to have a "new potato flavour", which will be good, if true. (Sarpo mira and Sarpo axona have done very well for me, seeming to ignore neighbouring blight, and with huge bright green haulms even now).
I grew Nadine, Anya and Charlotte this year and got a brilliant crop. I go for taste rather than the overall quantity.
Delicious.
I grew Wilja for the first time this year for a waxy second early, they taste good and had a really good crop with some absolutely huge spuds, they're certainly on my list for next year. Is there any reason why I shouldn't stagger the planting and use them as main crop, say, plant a month later? I also planted Rooster as an all round main crop, they don't seem to be bothered by pests at all (so far). My Pentland crown seed just never took off, not sure why, but the yield is very poor ?? Any suggestions ???
Next year: Rooster, Wilja and try something new, I havn't decided yet.
Would grow Vivaldi again -lovely flavour, and the two barrels that were left longest had a fantastic harvest (for containers I mean). Tried Wilja three or four years ago and I am going to plant some again next year.
Meg
ps - for waxy potatoes, try epicure, great early, good flavour and super for salads.
Sharpes Express and Vivaldi for us next year. They were great this year so we plan to grow more next year.