potatoes what are the best?

[ally]

Hi
I have just been given a list of potatoes that i can order from our local allotment society,
What do you suggest will give me an long season cover and how many do you suggest i need (3 kilo bags).
My allotment is hopefully going to supply two families who love spuds.

I have just spent 3 hours trying to get my bonfire going, to start clearing some trees. Gave up as it is too windy and damp. How come the louts who burn our local common only need 1 match and i used firelighters, paper and matches.
The best joke was that I was worried that it would get out of control and set up the hose ready . It just about took when it started to rain again.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Ally! What's on your list? DDL It's typical about the local youths isn't it? If you see any perhaps you could ask them for tips!

[nick the grief]

Strangley enough, i've just come back from lifting some of mine Ally. A lot depends on what sort of things you want. Do you want bakers, chippers, roasters, boilers or tatties for mash?

Also the typw of soil you've got dictates what will grow best for you as well. For instance, I love King Edwards but htey don't grow well in my light sandy soil so I grow something else instead.

If you look on Edwin tuckers site you can download their tattie lists (split in to 3 sheets - 1st early, 2nd Early & maincrop) that will give a description of them also Alan Romans site has loads of info too.

I tend to grow 1 favourite & then one I'm trying for a 2nd time & a new one (3 varieties in otherwords) the New ones I tend to grow in smaller quantities in pots/tubs just to see what they are like, if they are OK I'll buy more of them the next year & try in the ground then I f they are OK I may keep them oe I may try anther one aswell & grow in smaller quantities.

This year my 1st choice & 2nd choice spuds were :-

1st early
Rocket Winston

2nd Early

Nadine & Charlotte

Maincrop

Picasso Maxine

The Maxine are nice potatoes, lovely colour, good taste but suffered with slug damage. The Piccasso yeilded about twice as much & suffered less damage.

Winston are OK for me in tubs but didt'e perform well in the ground so I may go back to something like Arran Pilot & Rocket for the fact they are a bit earlier. The 2nd Earlies both performed well & the family like them both.

As to quantities thats a trick one. A lot depends on how big they are. I tend to buy mine from a local supplier loose & I pick out how many I want & get them about the size of a hens egg or just a tad smaller & then they weigh them & tell me how much. You want about 12"-15" between earlies & about 18" - 20" between Maincrops then allow about 18 " between rows for the earlies & 24" between rows for maincrop. So if you now how long your rows are you can work it out how mainy tubers you'll need then find out how mainy bags you want.

I usually grow 2 - 1st earlies, 2 - 2nd Earlies 2 or 3 rows of each of the maincrop but we aren't bigg potato eaters ( only a couple of times a week on average) & we can usually go thru till Febuary/March time before we need any bought ones then the newones start in the Greenhouse!.

According to the sheet on the Allotment website it says you can expect around 4kgs/ meter for maincrop (if my memory serves me right) so if your rows are 6m long thats roughly a sack per row.

Hope this helps & isn't too much in one lump !

[flopsybunny21]

In reference to potatoes, have heard of putting some in a black bag and growing them that way. Has anyone trired this and if so can they tell me how. DO you just put them in soil and keep rolling up the bag and more soil ?? Also what type grow best in this way, and are they suitable for Northern Ireland, I know due to potatoe blight we can't have the same selection as those of you on the mainland. Also can I grow them now for christmas ??

See at last I might try just grow something sensible and not weird and wonderful like my usual attempts..

Many Thanks

Laura

[nick the grief]

Hi Laura,

there are oe or two on the vine that have grown them in old compost bags. I use large buckets myself. You can uses soil but I would use compost myself as it's sterile & there is less chance of spreading disease. You might struggle to get them in time for Christmas now - sorry, still if you have a greenhouse you can start them of in there & have some extra early to make up for it.

As to varieties I don't know what to suggest to you but Beefy comes from Northen Ireland so he may be able to help. Or there is Bramble or Slug in Southern Ireland they may be able to help you.

[beefy]

flopsybunny ive sent you a pm so we will sort you out with something

[nick the grief]

Well done Beefy

[beefy]

Nick used to drive a lorry and what do you think was our biggest piece of work ? -thats right moving spuds all over Northern Ireland into and out of England and into the South of Ireland.
Flopsy its not that we haven't less varieties over here tastes at home here are different than on the mainland . As far as I can see(and I could be wrong -if I am I know I'll be told )"the English" like a slightly different spud to us here at home .For roasties (sorry LJ ) I think its hard to beat a Maris Piper,and for a good boiling potato try a Golden Wonder. A big favourite in the South are Rooster and for champ or mash they are good . I find them very filling can only eat about 5 rooster where I can easily eat 7 good GW's. Rooster are also a good chipping potato and a reasonable baker.

[flopsybunny21]

Thanks Beefy

Have just replied to your pm,

[ally]

Hi All
Finally got the council to clear the allotment of trees and have started digging.
Seed potatoes arrived today
Earlies Rocket & Winston
Second Wilja
Main Maris Piper & Picasso

At the moment they are stored in a forst free greenhouses. what do I do next?
Are they chitted and planted at the sames time, if so I must getting digging quicker.

regards
Ally

[Benacre]

Chit them now in a frost free room ie a shed and plant first earlies on Good Friday. Two or three weeks after that Second Earlies then Mid May Maincrop.
Mincrops are very Hungry so plenty of Gubbins will be needed.
Spray with Cheshunt Compund Mid July for Blight.

Right Planting!
dig a trench c4 to 5 " deep and scatter a general fertiliser ie Bone Meal. cover with Peat then lay potatos a foot apart in the row, cover with peat. Fill in trench, cover with a mulch, Earth up regually when plants show through. Harvest when flowers are open.
Good Luck.
Benacre

[ally]

Thanks Benacre,
So I have a little longer to dig than I thought (good news as at the moment I can only get down there for a few hours at the weekend).
There are two men always on thier allotments so I tend to double check with them before I do anything but they are only there during the week. so your help is gratefully received.
regards
Ally

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've got Rocket (1st early) already sown (every the impatient!), Nadine (2nd early) chitting along with Cara (main crop) and have room for one other main crop variety.

Our lottie shed has stock of spuds cheap as chips (haha!) so plan to buy from there. The choice is Romano, Desiree and Stemster.

Any views, grapes?

[nick the grief]

Desiree are good un's HATH. I've gone back to these this year as I could'nt get any Picasso from our local shop. My list is:-

1st early

Swift - already thru (in pots)
Foremost - chitting nicely

2nd early

Kestrel - Chitting
Maris Peer - SOme planted in pots some to go in

Maincrop

Cara
Desiree

[Hazel at the Hill]

Maincrop

Cara
Desiree

Thank for that, Nick - supplimentary q...

I want one which is a bit waxy (for spanish omlettes/layering/nice recipes that Wellie suggests/saute) and one which is a bit floury to mash - nothing worse than waxy gloopy mashed spuds!

Am I still ok with the Desiree with the Cara?