Spuds, what variety?

[bobleponge]

For the last 3 years I have had very disappointing yields from my spuds.
I would like some advice on fail safe (does it exist?) main crop spuds that will give good yield.
I mainly eat mash and roasties, my soil is very heavy clay, and they are going to planted in a virgin part of the garden.

I will try anything, whether its mainstream or something out of the ordinary, but I just want something that can justify the amount of ground it takes up when I come to lift them.

All help welcomed.

[smallblueplanet]

If you're talking spuds that you want to be tasty then le froggies have loads.

Belle de Fontenay are main crop and very tasty.
Ratte are a salad spud - early main.
We grew Amandine last year and they were tasty too - think they're a 1st early.
Charlotte are a tasty more mainstream spud.

Not sure that any of them are best mashed - but you'll be wanting some tasty salad spuds for when you have salads dressed with vinegarette (made with your own vinegar! ).

ps have you got a copy of the Graines Baumaux? Worth getting as it has lots of veggies & flowers and will show you the sort of stuff that's available (and their translated name).

http://www.graines-baumaux.fr/catalogue_papier.php

[selfraising]

Hi
I grew International Kidney (aka Jersey Royals) last year which I grew as a second early last year for salads but they can be left and harvested as maincrop

[tootles]

Agate is a good 2nd early/maincrop. It is the variety that most of the supermarkets seem to have earlier in the season. I grew them last year in poor, shady soil and still managed to produce enough to feed the five of us (and the hangers on) over the summer from about 3x3m
I grew Amandine too - dreadful, won't be growing them again.
Rosabelle were lovely, a good waxy red skinned yellow spud (maincrop) Deffo going for Agate and Rosabelle again.



p.s. Agate mash nicely

[zazen999]

Eh up

Kestrel grew well in our clay, with no slug/eelworm damage, next was Desiree. Kestrel makes GREAT roasties and mash. I'm sticking to these mainly now - with a few blight/eelworm resistant heritage varieties to fill the space.

[bobleponge]

Now then,

I grew Amandines 2 years ago SBP, and although they tasted ok, they didnt give me the sort of yield I was hoping for. If you ever have the misfortune to see me, you will realise that salad potato's are not really my thing!! (although my red wine vinegar is "brewing" away quite nicely.)
Thanks for the seed list though, that will be winging its way to my post box.
I grew Desiree last year and again the yield was disappointing. (Maybe my expectations are too high but I havent yet had 1 spud of a decent size that could be used as a baked one.) Even the old fella in the spud shop that I use was at a loss to explain why they didnt grow so well.
Agate sound like the ones to try I guess then, as they are locally available, thanks Tootles.
I will also be trying a few different heritage ones this year, just to see if anything grows, but my soil is just so dead though. I am over in the UK next month for a couple of days, so I may pick up a bag of Kestrel as well, to see.
Thanks all for the help.

[Snadger]

Eh up

Kestrel grew well in our clay, with no slug/eelworm damage, next was Desiree. Kestrel makes GREAT roasties and mash. I'm sticking to these mainly now - with a few blight/eelworm resistant heritage varieties to fill the space.

Exactly my own two mainstays! Kestrel 2nd early and Desiree maincrop! think I'll go for good old fashioned Duke of York for earlies as I'm not a great lover of Charlotte type waxy yellow spuds!

[smallblueplanet]

...If you ever have the misfortune to see me, you will realise that salad potato's are not really my thing!!

Lol! You don't have to have salad with 'salad' spuds! We like the waxier spuds as they hold together better in curries, moussaka, couscous sauce and are good with a cassoulet-type sauce on them.

[GreenPete]

How fertile is your soil, potatoes are hungry feeders?
Soil fertility will make a big difference to the size of your crop.

[bobleponge]

Generally pretty dead I reckon, certainly the virgin soil. I had thought this would probably be the case.
Will it be too late to get any decent nutrients into it before I plant my spuds? I dont get home till the end of Feb, and need to turn over a decent sized area, digging in a lot of manure as I go. Assuming I plant before I go back to work towards the end of March, will that be adequate?
Or will I have to dig it over this year, fill it full of compost, and grow next year?

[GreenPete]

As long as the manure or compost is well rotted it would be fine to plant this year. Last year I gave the whole area I was growing potatoes on a thick top dressing of rotted manure instead of earthing up, the plants loved it and the potatoes were easy to lift.

[gojiberry]

I have never had any complaints about Charlotte. I get a good crop ( best last year was 35 potatoes from one tuber) and they are a good size. I am however on a fairly light loamy soil which may make a difference. I also use potato fertilizer which I think makes a big difference. Found some huge potatoes last week when I emptied an old compost bin but I haven't got a clue as to what type they were.

Ian

[Paulottie]

If you want Mash and Roasties then there is nothing in France! so no point in asking the locals what grows well...

I'd say Edwards, Wilja, Desiree...(We grow on sand here.) so it may be best to find out what grows best for clay. Trouble with these maincrops is often blight though... they do take up a lot of space for the whole year unlike earlies.