Flaky taties

[Dynamo]

My allotment has got very light soil. So light that often when I'm digging with a fork I can thrust it into the earth just by pushing it in using my hands and don't need any pressure from my foot. In a lot of ways this is great but one crop that seems to suffer is potatoes. When we cook them we can't boil them because they disintegrate. We usually get around this problem by steaming them, but even then they tend to flake a bit. Does anyone else have this problem?



This year I've got about 10 bags of used compost from last year's tomato, pepper and cucumber pots and I intend on adding it liberally to the ground where I plant this year's potatoes.



Does anyone think this would help? I'm also going to try to get a load of manure and add that to the ground in the same place. The soil does seem to dry out on top quite quickly so I was wondering if maybe watering them more often might help too.

The bottom line here is that even if it doesn't work my soil should have improved a bit.

[Thelma Sanders]

Used multipurp compost, compost from the heap, manure, the more the merrier - they'll all make the soil better able to retain any moisture, but here on dry soil (at the top of the slope!) I do have to water generously if we don't get regular rainfall.

[veggiechicken]

Is it the variety rather than the soil? Have you tried different spuds?

[Dynamo]

Is it the variety rather than the soil? Have you tried different spuds?

The first time I planted I used Maris Piper and Maris Peer. My partner didn't like their taste so since then I've planted left over potatoes that were bought in the supermarket. They taste gorgeous. I also managed to grow Jerseys last year despite living up north, though they tasted pretty average so I won't use them again. All the potatoes I've ever planted have suffered from the same problem.

[Dynamo]

Used multipurp compost, compost from the heap, manure, the more the merrier - they'll all make the soil better able to retain any moisture, but here on dry soil (at the top of the slope!) I do have to water generously if we don't get regular rainfall.

My plot is very flat so there's no run off as such. It's just very well drained.

And I never waste any spent compost. It all goes back into the soil. I also have half a greenhouse full of leaves to make leafmould.



I also put leaves straight onto the ground and cover them up with sheets over winter to add to the richness.

[bario1]

I don't think soil type is the issue - I'm on heavy clay and my spuds always disintegrate too. It's annoying, I don't know why it happens.

[Zelenina]

It's generally floury varieties with high dry matter that disintegrate when they're boiled. They are often marketed as being good for roasting, chipping or mashing. Maris Piper and Rooster for example. If you don't like that tendency then I think you need to look for spuds that are marketed for boiling or salads, which are less floury.

The last time I was in the UK I noticed that most supermarket spuds are now sold in packs with the variety named on the label, although it's often in very small writing. Here in Slovakia they would also be designated as cooking type A, B or C which are waxy, general purpose and floury. In the UK you would probably have to note the varieties in your local supermarket and then Goggle them or ask here to find out which type they are. Or use named varieties of seed potatoes.

The alternative is to cook them Irish style. They boil huge quantities of floury spuds which most Irish people prefer (and I do too). Give them a wash and boil them with the skins on. When you see the first sign of them beginning to split, tip nearly all of the water out and put them on a very low heat to steam for the last few minutes. People then usually peel them onto individual side plates at the table, and the cooked peels can be fed to the dogs, hens or pigs. But I eat the peels. They are the best bit.

[Snadger]

Charlotte which are a waxy potato never seem to go to mush. Any waxy spud should be the same.

[Bren In Pots]

Charlotte which are a waxy potato never seem to go to mush. Any waxy spud should be the same.

I agree with you about Charlottes I swapped over to those and not had any problems with them breaking up when steamed.

[Snoop Puss]

I agree that it's probably a problem to do with variety. The problem will be, Dynamo, if you don't like the flavour of waxy/salad-type spuds. If that's the case, maybe you'll have to try different cooking methods and see if they're any better (steaming or pressure cooking).

[bario1]

My Charlottes still disintegrate, but less so than other varieties.

[1Bee]

To me, that's a variety issue. I've grown sarpo blue danube, rooster, desire, charlottes, in order of likely to disintegrate...

[ESBkevin]

Ah yes, variety is the spice of life. ;-)

Using supermarket leftovers as seeds means you have no control over the variety. Buy some seed potatoes of different varieties and experiment like having first earlies, and second earlies. Then use the supermarket leftovers as your main crop and accept they will disintegrate when boiled. I like them roasted though.

Potatos will love all the muck/manure you can spare as well as the compost. I did discover this year that too much mulch of the wrong type (cardboard) will encourage slug activity and should be avoided with potatos.

[Bex2012]

Do you leave you spuds to ‘cure’ before you cook them, to toughen the skins up? One of the old boys on my site told me to leave the potatoes in the sun for an hour or so once dug up, in order to dry them out and toughen the skins. It stops them flaking/peeling when cooking, it does work honestly!

[bario1]

Sorry Bex, tried that too, in fact i usually leave them out on the ground for 24 hours! (much longer and they start to go green...)

Seems like the skins come away from the 'body' of the spud with about 2mm of flesh attached. Very annoying. Surely more peeps must have experienced this? It almost puts me off growing them.