Shallots and new potatoes recomendations

[jackyspratty]

Hi peeps
Due to dissappointing and pest/disease ridden crops for the second year running we are giving up on onions and maaincrop spuds.

What varieties of shallots and new potatoes do you recommend please.

[northepaul]

I am growing banana shallots from seed this year, as I had a very poor show with shallot sets.
I also didnt get any of my maincrop spuds due to the B word!
This year I am growing squashes instead - however my first and second earlies were fab - kestral and pentland javlin.

[ginger ninger]

I grew "Vigarmor" shallot last year and I was impressed with it. Here's a link for you. I also grew "Pesandor" also very tasty.

Shallot Vigarmor

Shallot 'Pesandor' - Thompson & Morgan

[solway cropper]

I never bother with maincrop tatties for the obvious blight reason although we didn't have any up here last year. If you grow a second early such as Kestrel or Charlotte you can pick them small for new potatoes or leave them in the ground to get much bigger spuds. They will keep a reasonable length of time in the ground and can be lifted and stored when blight threatens.

[Aberdeenplotter]

For an early potato, red Duke of York is best by miles. Shallots - yellow - Golden Gourmet, -red -Red Sun

[gojiberry]

I grow mainly charlotte as I like the flavour and I can harvest before the blight. I am also trying harlequin this year plus other varieties in tubs. Don't know what the problem with your onions was but if it was mildew then try the new santero available either as sets or seed. Shallots are likely to suffer the same problems as onions.

Ian

[Kristen]

From all I have read in the forums Potato flavour is very much a personal thing, and influenced by soil type and how you grow them - "plenty of manure improves flavour" and the like ...

My suggestion would be to see if there is a Potato Fare near you were you can buy a few tubers of several varieties, grow them this year and have a tasting test to decide what you will grow for future years. Garden Centres will often allow tubers to be bought loose too.

FWIW my favourites are:

First Early : Arran Pilot - planted 7th April and started harvesting at 8 weeks
Second Early: Charlotte - we like the flavour, some don't
Salad: Pink Fir Apple
Main: King Edward - but every year I wonder why I bother with a Main Crop!

[davetheforker]

first early:foremost

second early: estima im growing these because the spuds are large enough for jacket spuds for bbq's

maincrop:ambo because they crop heavy and blight and scab resistance is high.

shallots: golden gourmet i also used these for pickling last year lovely flavour.