Picking spuds - waxy-floury scale

[organic]

Hey folks.
General opinion in these parts is that for most things we prefer a floury spud.

I've seen a 1-9 scale, 1 being waxy and 9 being floury but it didn't have all that many varieties on it, and certainly not all the ones I have to choose from.

I know for sure that I like Kerrs Pink and Rooster, both of which are towards the floury end of that scale rated as 6.

I'm trying to choose from the Garden Organic catalogue but am having a hard time relating their varieties to the 1-9 scale to get an idea of what to expect. Can anyone suggest a variety that comes close (if it's an organic one, all the better, but I can live with getting non-organic ones, especially as they'll be organic from this point on)

I'm looking for first and second earlies, mainly... though if anyone can suggest an alternative maincrop to Kerrs and Roosters I'd consider that too. Can anyone suggest something suitable?

Cheers folks.

(I know GO don't sell Kerrs and Roosters, but I may get them from a local-ish nursery as I've always preferred the spuds my family tend to get in Ireland to the ones usually found in shops here.)

[chriscross1966]

Setanta? Spirit (good for epically enormous bakerrs if my seedsman is to be believed), Pentlans Dell (ditto), Desiree even?

chrisc

[shirlthegirl43]

Here's a good site for varieties and their characteristics... Golden Wonder - Potato Council

I have linked it to the Golden Wonder page as that is the spud I remember from my childhood - lovely and floury when boiled in their jackets.

[organic]

Chris
I take it all the ones you mentioned are of the floury persuasion?


Shirley
Cheers for the link. That's the site I saw the scale on, unfortunately some of the ones I'm thinking about planting aren't on there.
As for boiling in jackets - that's exactly how a lot of these will be cooked. The way I remember them being cooked in Ireland was scrubbed clean, boiled for a while, some of the water drained off and then steamed until ready.

The skins would almost fall off when the shadow of a knife passed over them - divine!

[Rossa]

I got a copy of a guide to potato varieties at the local Open Day and if Dry Matter is the right scale for waxy to floury then these have a score of 6 or more.

1E - 1st Early
2E - 2nd Early
EMC - Early Maincrop
LMC - Late Maincrop

2E Anya - 8 (though waxy they fry well!)
LMC Arran Victory - 8
EMC Atlantic - 8
2E British Queen - 7
EMC Cabaret (a new maris Piper type) - 6
2E Dunbar Rover - 8 (low yields but the best dry, floury type)
2E Edzell Blue - 8
1E Epicure - 7
EMC Erntestolz - 7
2E Fambo - 6
EMC Fianna - 9
LMC Golden Wonder - 9
EMC Harlequin - 7
EMC Hermes - 9 (used in the crisp industry)
1E Home Guard - 6
1/2E Karlena - 9
LMC Kerr's Pink - 6
EMC King Edward - 6
EMC Maris Piper - 7
EMC Markies - 6
EMC Mayan Gold - 7
EMC Midas - 9
EMC Morene - 7
EMC Moulin Rouge - 6
EMC Mozart - 6
LMC Navan - 8
EMC Pentland Crown - 6
EMC Pentland Dell - 7
EMC Pentland Hawk - 6
EMC Pentland Ivory - 7
EMC Pentland Squire - 7
LMC Pink Fir Apple - 6
1E Premiere - 6
LMC Pomeroy - 8
EMC Record - 9 (Was used in crisp industry. Replaced by Hermes)
1E Red Duke of York - 6 (actually 3-6 depending on whether crop early or late)
EMC Red King Edward - 6
EMC Red Pontiac - 7
EMC Remarka - 6
EMC Robinta - 6
EMC Rooster - 8
LMC Russet Burbank - 6
EMC Sante - 6
LMC Sarpo Axona - 7
LMC Sarpo Mira - 7
2E Saturna - 9
1E Sharpe's Express - 7
EMC Sierra - 7
EMC Smile - 8
2E Sunrise - 6
EMC Vales Sovereign - 6
LMC Verity - 7
LMC White Lady - 7
2E Yukon Gold - 6

It's interesting that Desiree or Romano, 2 varieties sold by supermarkets, are only 5. Maybe the reason there are more Roosters around are because at 8 they are more floury.

Hope this helps though it does say some are hard to find as they may have lower yields or less resistance to blight and slugs.

The author is Alan Romans and his site is alanromans.com. There may be more info on there.

"... I went from adolescence to senility, trying to bypass maturity ..." - Tom Lehrer
Earth Wind and Fire

[organic]

Wow - thanks very much for taking the time to type that up, Rossa!
I'll have a look at Alan's site and see what I can get from there too, maybe clarification on the "dry matter" issue.
That'll be a huge help though - I've just grabbed my G.O. catalogue and cross referencing that list I've got the following

1E
Premiere

EMC
Remarka, Maris Piper, King Edward, Sante

LMC
Arran Victory, Sarpo Mira


None of the second earlies in the catalogue are on that list. Whether that means none are floury, would have scored 5 or simply didn't make it into that guide you picked up, I don't know - but I can always look in some of the local nurseries and see what they have for sale.

Thanks again for that very helpful list - that alone has done a huge amount to solve the spud dilemma.

[realfood]

To find the characteristics of most potato varieties, go to Potato Council > document type > potato variety database > indexes > dry matter content > high or very high
Accord Pentland Squire
Amora Premiere
Asterix Record
Atlantic Romano
Banba Rooster
Barna Russet Burbank
Cabaret Sante
Carnaval Sarpo Mira
Courage Saturna
Erntestolz Shepody
Fambo Sunrise
Fianna Vales Emerald
Fontane Vales Everest
Hermes Verity
Lady Claire
Lady Jo
Lady Olympia
Lady Rosetta
Maris Piper
Markies
Mayan Gold
Mimi
Morene
Navan
Pentland Dell
The highest is Axona