Your expert help needed please

[MrsC]

Hi,

Just wondering what you consider to be the best onions and potatoes to plant in terms of taste and yield. I seem to use an awful lot of both and I am looking forward to growing some, amongst other things on my allotment once cleared. 1st, 2nd and maincrop tatties and some nice big tasty onions would be fab. Can you let me have your views please. Thanks

[zazen999]

Onions, I love the Red Barons - grown from sets and good old Bedfordshire Champion - i was doing some research and there is another tyoe, similar, but not F1s, that was deleted because it was very much like Bedfordshire Champion when the EU did their thing in the 70s/80s.

Spuds; Kestrel I've found is the best - good earlies and can be left for ages, and no slug damage. I love it because the chips and roasties it makes are so lovely and crisp.

If you look at Cupid's thread up now, he has made some comments on another 2, which I am just about to write in my book...

[burnie]

I like Pink Fir Apples,tastiest tattie I've ever eaten.Salad /raw eating onions,I like the Robinsons Mammoth,though they do get a bit big, from sets I usually have Sturon or Stuttgart.

[MrsC]

Thanks guys! Will start to keep a book myself Zazen, good idea

[jacob marley]

mrs c that is now what i would do in your case now if you by your spud's from supermarkets is try different varieties you can by smaller pack's and you will find one that suits your taste bud's .
Different people will tell you different one's myself i prefer King Edward's but last year i grew some Mayan Gold and Mayan Queen and the flavour was superb and i will grow them again jacob marley

[Flummery]

I grow whatever onion sets they have in the local garden centre - usually something like Sturon or Stuttgarter Giant. We eat loads of onions too but I never feel they taste sufficiently different to bother looking for any particular one.

As to spuds, I only grow earlies and love Lady Crystl, Aaron Pilot and Charlotte. As Jacob says, taste is very personal. I'm convinced that the chemistry of your saliva affects how you percieve flavours and that's why everyone has his or her own favourite.

[kirsty b]

I do like Pentland Javelin for spuds and Sturon for onions.

[Alison]

Glad to see the thumbs up for Sturon and Red Baron as they were the ones we were thinking of going for. Not decided on which spuds yet but after all the blight around this summer am thinking of trying some blight resistant ones.

[Alice]

It's horses for courses MrsC.
Onions - I grow Red Barron - but maybe you can get better.
Potatoes - well it depends on what you want them for and how long you want to wait.
For a good second early for salads and general summer use I don't think you can beat Charlotte.
For superb salad potatoes if you are prepared to wait and settle for a small crop then Pink Fir Apple it is.
For roast potatoes I find Red Rooster the best. It's all personal taste.
I'm happy with my selection.
Must be mad to take pics of potatoes but you can have a look
Charlotte, Desiree and Sharps Express.

[sewer rat]

Potatoes - first early has to be Lady Christl, no competition. Second Early, my choice would be Edzell Blue and Maincrop would be King Edward or Maris Piper as both very versatile, although Kerrs Pink are very nice but need watching when boiling as they tend to disintegrate.
Onions - I grew a variety called Jagro last year - best onions I have ever grown - big sweet and juicy and stored well too. Gutted when I couldn't get them for this year - I grew Sturon - no comparison - Jagro for me.

[Two_Sheds]

another vote for Pink Fir Apple (maincrop) ... lovely firm salad potato that can stay in the ground (well, my ground) until December.
This year I've liked Rooster (for roasting); Arran Pilot for an early (didn't like Maris Peer at all)

[Two_Sheds]

onions

my onions were a disaster this year .. well over half the crop got White Rot (I've never had it before).

Looking at what is left ... a few Red Barons, lots of Stuttgarter, hardly any Sturon and no Turbo.

My Keepwell (last year's winter onions) are just starting to sprout, so I need to use them up (they've been out of the ground for 3 months)

I've just planted Senshyu, not tried them before

[tattieman]

Best tasting Early potato I have had is Ulster sovereign then Dunluce.
Second earlies I like Charlotte and Wilja.
Maincrops Pentland Crown are a big tatsy potato but Pink Fir apples are what we had at my wedding so that should tell you how highly I rate them.
Sorry but I know nothing about onions.

[gojiberry]

My onions didn't do any good this year. I did do very well with potatoes especially the charlottes, they went in early 14th Feb and I had a fabulous crop one particular seed gave a return of 35 potatoes (6.5lb) and the flavour is superb. Have planted onion seed (high keeper) and sets (cant remember sort) for overwintering.

Ian

[Tam]

Epicure (second early) is a wonderful tasting potato and Pink Fir Apple is one of the few maincrops that keeps its flavour in store - makes a good Christmas "new potato".