Seed Potatoes

[simonytfc]

Hi,
Im just thinking about ordering my seed potatoes for next year, does anyone have any good advice about which companies/varieties they have had success with. I am looking for some that aren't too expensive as often they seem to have a high delivery charge!

Thanks

[Hazel at the Hill]

You've just hit my bit of advice right on the head! If you can buy locally, do! Try for allotment shops which sell seed pots loose, independent garden centres, or best of all, if you can get to a Potato Day, you're laughing.

Actually you are not laughing, you are coming home with more potatoes than you can possibly have room for, but you know what I mean!

[Two_Sheds]

I save mine from last year's spuds (I know you're not meant to, but its working for me so far).
Otherwise, if the Poundshop has some I grab them (got Desiree last year, brilliant crop given the weather wasn't ideal)

[terrier]

I put in Desiree on May Day. I'd just removed the turf and dug the ground over (wrong..I know). Despite loads of growers losing their spuds to blight and having my plot under water several times throughout the season, they survived well. I'm still digging up lovely undamaged spuds. Was I just lucky?

[simonytfc]

Thanks Hazel, Ill probably try to search around more locally to try and find some pots! Desiree seems to be a popular choice, has anyone else had any sucesses with different varieties?
Thanks

[Hazel at the Hill]

Desiree is supposed to be a good alrounder - but there are SO many varieties out there, it is very difficult to choose!

I had room for 4 different sorts, so I grew rocket (very early, but didn't taste of very much!), nadine, kestrel (both fab) and Maris Piper which are cracking baking spuds.

I want to grow a waxy salad potato next year - charlotte seems to be a popular choice on the Vine, but I'm also tempted to grow one which is supposed to be blight resistant next year, in case we have another run of difficult weather.

So many choices.....

[Flummery]

You shouldn't have blight trouble with an early Hazel. You usually get them out of the ground before the trouble starts. (specially if you can start them in pots in a greenhouse - extra early)

[Hazel at the Hill]

I had the (tasteless!) rocket out well before any blight, and the nadine and cara, actually, but those Maris Piper were whipped out in very short order as the blight marched down the Hill!

They were a good size, anyway, but I would have left them in the ground for another few weeks if I'd had the choice. I just wasn't confident enough to leave them in - just in case!

[SarzWix]

I had good yields last year from Charlotte (salad) in buckets, Harlequin (main-crop salad type) in spud tubs, and Desiree in the ground. Charlotte and Harlequin were harvested before the blight, Desiree got a touch of it on the foliage but I cut the tops off quickly, and the tubers were fine. The ones in tubs, especially Harlequin, needed plenty of watering & feed even in all that rain, as the foliage stopped much water getting to the pot!
I'm growing the same varieties this year, as well as trying a few different ones in tubs. (I do love potatoes!)
I buy most of my seed potatoes from T&M, along with a friend and we share the postage cost

[Naomi]

Do you need to put drainage holes in the bottom if you grow them in buckets?

[lainey lou]

Yes! (is the quick answer to that one!)

[wormlady]

Hiya
I buy mine from the garden organic catalogue, they have a good range and delivary is £1.25 for orders under £25, although the spuds themselves are about £6-8. I grew charlottes this year and they are lovely, really yeloow flesh with so much flavour, mmmm! Am going to grow them again as I got them in really early (feb) and although the leaves got attacked by blight, I chopped the leaves off and left the spuds in the ground for a few weeks and they were fine when I dug them up. I had one or two go manky but the rest have stored well so far, am nearly running out now tho.
Last year I grew pentland javelins from B&Q which were rubbish, no flavour and fell to bits when I cooked them.
This time Im going to grow charlottes again as they were so nice and am also gonna try sarpos for main crop as they are organic and also have very high blight resistance.
Ax

[simonytfc]

Thanks everyone, I think I might replant my tubers from last year, although its not advised! looks like the cheapest and easiest option

=]

[rustylady]

I grew Arran Pilot as earlies and they were fantastic. Got the seed from a local supplier but they only sell big bags so there were too many for me (gave some to daughter). Got a bag of Desiree from the local pound shop, was a bit sceptical but they turned up trumps. Grew well, good yield and flavour. I like to grow a little of lots of varieties, but find the seed companies packages are very expensive.

[simonytfc]

Does anyone know if it is Ok to put my maincrop out to shoot again for next year now. Although this isnt advised, ive asked this on another thread and the answer was to put them out in the light now to get strong green shoots as opposed to leaving them in the dark and getting small shoots. Would like any opinions on this!

=]