Allotments 4 All

I was at the plot before 7am today to clear all the spuds where the foliage has been dead for a while. 

First out was Valour - won't bother again.  Hardly any spuds, all very small - very poor yield altho no pest damage at all.

Next Lady Christl.  Lovely big oval spuds - all very clean, no pest damage at all, and a very good crop.  Good baking size.  On next years list.

Desiree - a good red spuds, again, lovely big spuds, baking size, no pest damage and a very good yield.

Sante,excellent, a real mix, some whoppers, some golf balls, but no damage at all, very clean, very round and a big yield.

I still have pink fir, edzell blue, Cara, ratte and another I can't remember to dig, but their foliage is still green and healthy so they can stay put. 

Something I have to consider is the lack of water.  My spuds receive no extra water other than the rain they receive, and the ground, altho London clay in places, is very stony and free draining.  I dug down 2 spades deep today and the soil was like dust!  Valour must need more water to bulk up. 

I can't report back on flavours of the spuds, but mum will be having the valour tomorrow and we are having a barby tonite so I imaging the whopping Santes will be baked.

My first earlies were International Kidney - good and waxy, as I like them, so I will probably continue with these. 2nd earlies - Valor, generally pleased, decent size, although a shade tasteless. Not certain yet whether to have these again, when there are so many other varieties to choose.
Desiree - small from the lack of rain. Not sure why I keep on with these.
Cara - not big this year, again due to the lack of rain, but they seem to do reasonably well on our soil, so I will continue with these.

Next year? Anya will be on my list if I can get any tubers. No other decisions made yet.

I'm on my way to dig up my pentland javelins - I've not had a huge amount per plant, but they do seem to be a decent size.  They've been very good baked and roasted, but disappointing when boiled (turned to mush in pan).  I've not watered mine either.  

Noticed when I was digging up tea last night that a couple were full of holes and hollowed out - slugs maybe ?  Foliage has been dying back for 3 weeks so will lift them all today (where to store them aaagh).

Desiree foliage still looks OK, not peeked at any yet.

Next year I want to grow some kestrel and fir apple.

Early for Desiree, Emma?

Had My Epicure, Red Dukes and Foremost out so far... In declining yeild order from poor to pathetic... may go out and try some more like the Anya where the tops have died back...
???

Charlotte - Late and a poor yield, but that was this year, a great potato will grow again next year.
Kestrel - Late and small in size, will give them a miss.
Picasso - Good yield, good size and the flavour was OK, will give them ago next year.
Pink Fir Apple - Dug one plant up so as to be able to comment, at the moment poor yield and really small, but it's still early, so still hoping. Wanted to try Anya this year but was unable to get any tubers, does anyone know if there is a problem with this variety?

Lady Christl - relatively small but perfect. Great taste. I'd grow again.
Orla - great yield, good size, great taste but lots of slug damage.
Kestrel - still digging and looking good. Large and tasty.
Roseval and Pink Fir Apple still to go.

We are coming to the end of our first earlies "International Kidney", and were pleasantly surprised as we didn't have many expectations -  they wouldn't chit and were soft and mouldy looking when they were planted, but they turned out great!  They have a lovely white skin and are very flavoursome.  Our main crop are Maris Peer which we have yet to dig up, so not sure how they have turned out yet. On this years experience will definitely do Internation Kidney again next year. busy_lizzie

I've grown maris peer as a second early and they have been wonderful. I will certainly be growing them again next year.

This probably sounds like a really silly questions but how do you know how many to plant?

I'm thinking ahead to next year, there's 2 adults and a child to feed and I'm starting to wonder how much to buy.  Any advice would be brill

Is Ulster Prince a variety only available r4ound West Lancs, although common round here I have not seen them advertised elsewhere. Good all purpose spud.
I grow every year and always been good.

Sounds as though there is a Northern Ireland connection?

Only had first earlies so far and not finished them.  2nd earlies have died back and I might dig some of those for roasting or chips later (Kestrel).  Of the first earlies, the Duke of Yorks so far have been poor yield but no damage.  Some are still green though so leaving those till later so hopefully better yield there.  Good taste but so far not on next years list because of yield.  Maris Bard have given a better yield but have been invaded by wireworm so although I like the taste, texture and yield, off the list for a couple of years until I am free of the worm.

Still got Maris Bard, King Eds, Valour and Romano to try.

The Ulster series do well in the damp so apart from Lancs aren't widely grown in UK.. I like Chieftan. Don't expect anything off Pink Fir yet as they are a late main,... day length sensitive and don't bulk up until the days shorten...
;D
You never plant the right amount BBB as things like earthing up and amount of rain are very variable... I just plant more... we've never managed to get through the year without buying some in May!!!!
;D

BBB -- as a guide?

Baby boo bah, when it comes to estimating seed potatoes, I hazard that my bag of seed will increase eightfold. Some people may hazard tenfold, but my yield is less reliable. Therefore, if you were to plant a 3kg bag of seed potatoes, you could estimate getting about 25kg ie a half hundredweight back. This yield is skewed to higher quantities for maincrops, but it is only to give you a feel for amounts. Hope this helps  :)

Really good topic!

I've dug up so far:
Foremost: Gorgeous potatoes, some had scabs and slug damage but yeild was not too bad. Would grow them again for their beautiful flavour.
Pentlant Javelin: Very poor yeild, had only a few meals out of 2.5kg seed potatoes. They were very difficult to clean too. Flavour is just ordinary.
Maris Peer: Uniform, smooth, round and very clean. Yeild was fine. Taste wise they are fine, maybe slightly more flourly than Foremost.

Like others have said they seem to have suffered from dryness.

I have Anya and Pink Fur Apple still in the soil. Really looking forward to them. :)

Edited to add: I steamed some Maris Peer potatoes last night for my tea. They were very waxy this time, really nice. My husband said it was the best one we've had so far. I wonder if leaving potatoes in the soil longer improves the texture and flavour?

I haven't got room for more than a few spuds but this year I grew Swift an extra early variety in tubs, they were a bit late due to the weather this spring but they were suberb - wonderful flavour & a good yield for tubs. Will certainly grow them again next year. 

Early, yes Tim, but the foliage has been gone for weeks now and so I wanted to get them out before the rain as I figured if it warms up again, the spuds might start to regrow and be no good.

Orla, thanks grawc, Orla is one of the others I still have in the ground to come up.

I grew

Pentlin Javelin first early and thought I would have more different sizes from marbles to small.

Maris Peer 2nd early same as first, both broke up when cooked.

Still to pull PFApple and I think maris piper - very interested to see the results. I didn't water any of my plants.

I will be trying didn't types next year.