Which potatoes?? (recommendations??)

[Farmer_Gyles]

i want to plant some good, reliable and tasty spuds this year
i planted 2 varieties last year - they were nice, but i don't know much about the different varieties etc - i want to make better choices this year

we normally use ordinary sainsburys white potatoes - nothing special, slightly bland, but they do the job - they're fine boiled, mashed or roasted

this year i want some new potatoes as early as possible - i want salad potatoes and normal potatoes all through summer - a few baking potatoes late summer onwards - lots of normal potatoes in the autumn through till christmas

i'd like to dig up enough normal spuds in the autumn to last right through till next year's crop is ready

i've got 13ft x 8ft for spuds

any recommendations on varieties??

[Hans Mum]

pink fir are a really good, and i tried harlequin for the first time last year which were fab, i'm going to try international kidney this year which (i think) is a jersey royal type, i dont usually bother with maincrop as i dont have enough room

[tattieman]

Early as possible: Swift,Rocket
Salad potatoes: Doon Pearl,Anya,Pink Fir Apple,Ulster Classic,Ulster Prince
Baking potatoes: Estima,Kestrel,Winston
The list could go on and on.

[tattieman]

pink fir are a really good, and i tried harlequin for the first time last year which were fab, i'm going to try international kidney this year which (i think) is a jersey royal type, i dont usually bother with maincrop as i dont have enough room

International Kidney are Jersey Royals but can only be called Jersey Royal when grown on Jersey.

[Hans Mum]

International Kidney are Jersey Royals but can only be called Jersey Royal when grown on Jersey.

hope mine taste as good then as they are one of my alltime favourites

[SarzWix]

There's been lots of discussions on here about favourite potatoes You get nearly as many answers as their are replies
Here's one from last year.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eee_11608.html

Best thing to do is to look at a few catalogues/websites, and read up what the blurb says about each variety. Decide what qualities you are looking for; blight resistance, slug resistance, waxy/floury etc, maybe try some that you fancy if the supermarket stock them, then try some! Some sites/garden centres will sell seed potatoes singly so you don't have to invest a lot in your experimenting.

For the record, my must haves include; Desiree maincrop, red skin, waxy flesh, mashing/boiling. Charlotte, salad, waxy, boil/steam. Harlequin, salad, early maincrop, waxy, boil/steam.

[hawthorns]

you wont go far wrong with pentland javelin

[allaboutliverpool]

For he last two years I have planted (among others) Rooster potatoes from the supermarket.

They are maincrop with red skin, and slightly yellow flesh, for baking, mashing, and roasting superbly.

The beauty of them is that they appear to be virtually slug-proof, unlike the others that I grow.

Tesco sell them so you can try them first.

I know all the arguments about not using seed potatoes, but I have never had a problem with disease after 40 years of growing both seed and greengrocer/supermarket potatoes.

I have an out of date webby about potatoes.

allaboutallotments_Vegetables_potatoes

[ardroil]

im impressed, allabout liverpool, i loved your clips and the makeshift greenhouses for your toms, great idea

[smallblueplanet]

It really is a case of do a bit of research and then trial & error. Some spuds grow and taste better from your soil than others will.

That said I would recommend belle de fontenay, charlotte and last year we grew some Amandine that were tasty.

[hooraynana]

OMG Allaboutliverpool - your website and allotment is ace !!!
have got butternut squash envy
really clever with the covered raised beds am going to do something similar this year

[SlugLobber]

I grew desiree last year and enjoyed them so much I'm growing them again this year. Have chosen Swift for, erm, swiftness and Kestrel is a whole new one for me. I'll be full of spudly goodness, just you wait!

[Two_Sheds]

this is a great site, telling you what spud is best for mash, roast etc. Potato Varieties - Potato Council

I've got Arran Pilot 1st early for salads (delicious); King Edward & Rooster for mash/roasting, and Pink Fir Apple as my maincrop salad potato (I like a firm waxy potato in stews too).

i would like some Osprey 2nd earlies for Jacket Spuds.

Most of all I'd like a drier summer, because the slugs got to my crop last year and ate more than I did.

[crazy_red]

Cool site...are you going to be adding to it? It's a real inspiration for beginners!

Crazy Red

[Minty]

I grew desiree last year and enjoyed them so much I'm growing them again this year. Have chosen Swift for, erm, swiftness and Kestrel is a whole new one for me. I'll be full of spudly goodness, just you wait!

And on the flipside i also grew Desiree that were awful in that they were very watery and mash was like slop. I also let my charlottes and maris peer get too big and they were dry and fell apart when boiled.
Thinking of trying Kestrel and Cara this year and another salad potato maybe International Kidney.
So definately trial and error for Minty,
Minty xxxxxxxxx