Potato Harvest: Was It Worth It?

[basketcase]

Was going to cry at this as my only hope was that it was the weather, but if yours haven't suffered ...... Then I realized that you'd grown 'Charlottes' and a couple of 'mystery guests'. If I choose to convince myself that the mystery guests were probably something that we would normally grow (as are the Charlottes) then my problems were down to poor choice of variety.... weren't they?????

YES, they were Bluemoon. Please don't cry...

[cupcake]

First year and OH is planning more containers for next year! The potatoes in the gro-sacs were pristine, the Charlottes were paticularly nice! The International kidney and arran pilot were in the ground and rather scabby but we have plenty left. We lifted the Pink Fir Apple last week. They taste wonderful! I just scrub them, and if they're for potato salad I peel then afterwards! Plenty of them too. I haven't bought potatoes since May spent about £12 and they should last us till Xmas!
I shall stick with the Charlottes and PFA but I'll choose something else next year. I love this game!

[zazen999]

I might join in with your tattie growing competition.Just give me some hints as what to grow.I haven't got much space,so decided to resign from PFA next year towards something with better yield.As general purpose potatoe I'm going to have Desiree and still thinking about King Edward(thought about Rooster but too similar to Desiree).Salad-I don't know,but any suggestions are welcome.
Both potatoes we had this year were maincrop.Most of the potatoes we eat are boiled,mashed or sometimes we have some chips.
So-what to go for?

KESTREL!!!!!

Flippin magnificent spuds and untouched by slugs or scab. And make wonderful roasties and chips. And you can take some smaller ones out at the beginning of the season as salad potatoes. Unbeatable.

[SarzWix]

I might join in with your tattie growing competition.Just give me some hints as what to grow.I haven't got much space,so decided to resign from PFA next year towards something with better yield.As general purpose potatoe I'm going to have Desiree and still thinking about King Edward(thought about Rooster but too similar to Desiree).Salad-I don't know,but any suggestions are welcome.
Both potatoes we had this year were maincrop.Most of the potatoes we eat are boiled,mashed or sometimes we have some chips.
So-what to go for?

I'd recommend 'Harlequin' for your salad spud - they're an early maincrop salad, bred from PFA & Charlotte. I got great yields from them in big containers 2 years in a row, but then didn't manage to get any seed this year. Really disappointed as I haven't had anything come close, and we ran out of salad spuds long before the salad ran out!

The British Potato Variety Database - Harlequin

[coreopsis]

Zazen,bingo!That's what I was looking at.I had a look at Kestrel,Ulster Classic,Pentland Javelin-I just relised I have a couple of big buckets that were standing idle all season when they could've had some earlies sitting in it.
Sarz,I'm not a big fan of Charlotte-this is my MIL's beloved potato-everytime I boiled them they went from hard to mushy in 2 minutes.
PFA taste nice but the yield wasn't too impressive,tatties were quite small as they were hit by blight and scabby.

[Snadger]

KESTREL!!!!!

Flippin magnificent spuds and untouched by slugs or scab. And make wonderful roasties and chips. And you can take some smaller ones out at the beginning of the season as salad potatoes. Unbeatable.

Have to agree..............grown Kestrel for the last two seasons.........wouldn't be without them!

[Alison]

I had a look at Kestrel,Ulster Classic,Pentland Javelin-I just relised I have a couple of big buckets that were standing idle all season when they could've had some earlies sitting in it.

I grew Ulster Classic this year as my first earlies in the open soil and they were the nicest tatties I've ever had. Will definitely be growing them again next year.

[kate&rob]

have to agree about kestrel, first year that we have had slug free spuds, great taste too!

[HayleyB]

I was gonna give up on spuds for next year but with Tattiemans idea I reckon I might just give it another go

[zazen999]

Zazen,bingo!That's what I was looking at.I had a look at Kestrel,Ulster Classic,Pentland Javelin-I just relised I have a couple of big buckets that were standing idle all season when they could've had some earlies sitting in it.
Sarz,I'm not a big fan of Charlotte-this is my MIL's beloved potato-everytime I boiled them they went from hard to mushy in 2 minutes.
PFA taste nice but the yield wasn't too impressive,tatties were quite small as they were hit by blight and scabby.

Try looking at Amorosa as well; unbelievably big tubers and absolutely delicious jacket spuds really early in the season.

[susieq100]

Grew Lady Christl and Anya and PFA. Was a bit disappointed with the first two - didn't have bags of flavour. The PFA are lovely, but not hugely versatile - good boilers/steamers but we like baked potatoes and roasties too. I'm fascinated by Tattieman's experiments - will definitely give it a go in the back garden but will still plant some at the lottie - good comparison I think for flavour, yield, speed etc. And Flum you're right - he has a lovely accent!

[SarzWix]

Harlequin have the yield and shape of Charlotte and the flavour of PFA, great combination IMO Really must make sure I get hold of some this time round!

[Comfreyfan]

I've just been out to lift the last of my Harlequin, 7lbs from 4 plants - I cut the tops off a couple of months ago when the blight hit, but left the spuds in the ground until I wanted them.

I've always grown PFA as a salad potato but I'm sticking with Harlequin from now on - just as tasty and much easier to prepare!

Also dug up a perfect 15oz first early Lady Christl that got left behind!