Having real trouble choosing maincrop spuds for next year.
This year we had valor, sante and setanta.
All had wireworm, worm and slug damage, and the setanta had 30-40% blackleg as well.
Luckily the Kestrel were great and will probably last until November. They had no damage at all.
Can anyone recommend a maincrop potato that isn't a slug/worm/wireworm magnet?
I grew skerrie blue. However yield wasn't that brilliant but they seem to be slug free/blight resistant. Only problem is that when boiled they disintegrated this year whilst last year they were firm and held thier shape and flavour very good. Was talking to someone at a show today and he reckoned that they either did well or badly - nothing in between.
So far Desiree are the only MC spud I've grown that have come up relatively disease and pest free
Have growm: Setanta, Picasso, Kerrs Pink, Lady Balfour, King Edward, Rooster, Golden Wonder, Arran Victory and some others whose names I can't remember offhand.
I was going to give up and go over to Kestrel and Lady Crystl too.
But Desiree seem to be worth the effort. Delia likes them too.
Just checked: T&M say that Picasso "may be prone to slugs".
No kidding!
Quote from: DenbyVisitor on August 29, 2011, 23:10:40
Just checked: T&M say that Picasso "may be prone to slugs".
No kidding!
T&M know what they are talking about. :( Very of mine haven't been nibbled but it is, out of several varieties, the Picasso that have suffered here and there.
Our kestrel crop is amazing this year, desiree are scabby, they were last year, too. But, we dried them well and they lasted until we ran out in march :)
My Kestrel were superb again this year, a very reliable variety it would appear. For my mains I grew Cara and Picasso. Picasso went down to blight but I managed to save some (will just have to keep checking stored spuds), my Cara on the other hand were great and I find them to be a very good all rounder - great bakers! Cara would be my recommendation.
TEYman
So far for main spuds, Cara has wireworm holes where Estima was clean, still have Rooster and Desire to lift.
I grew Sarpo Mira this year. Supposed to be blight resistant slug resistant. Had a great crop. Only about a dozen had one hole in so they are being used first. I have 3 full bags stored in the shed.Will be sowing them again next year. Earlies were Swift(Brilliant crop). Seconds were International Kidney, again brilliant crop.
Both Cara & Desiree relatively bug free - guess you've got to expect some degree of damage.