Potato Variety "Bonnie"

[sewer rat]

Thomson and Morgan sent me 10 tubers of a trial variety called Bonnie.
I planted the tubers on the same day as my first early Lady Christl and shawed them on the same day.
My Lady Christl were as near the perfect size for a new potato as you could get.
I dug up my ten Bonnie plants today
Bearing in mind that they were shawed a while ago, and that there were only ten tubers, I got a total weight of 22.45 kg, with one tuber being just shy of 400g.
If I like the taste it could be a deffo for next year - seems to be incredibly quick to bulk up compared to other earlies.
Anyone else out there try this variety ?

[Alice]

Never heard of it Rat, but if anyone wants to send me a few tubers I'd be happy to trial it in the ground, in containers and on the stove. Glad they did well for you Rat.

[HappyMouffe]

Yes, I planted the free tubers and again have been most impressed. The blight got them, but I've chopped the tops off and the ones I've dug up are a range of sizes from huge to new potato sized. Mother-in-law visiting at the weekend was impressed by the taste - what more could you ask for?

I also grew Lady Christl and these, as you say, were perfect new potato sized.

[mad_djg]

I tried them as well this year. Yield on average was approx 2kg per tuber - i also had a wide range of different sizes - indeed 1 tuber was enough for 2 adults & 1 toddler! More importantly they tasted good - both boiled and roasted in their skins - head and shoulders above the Swift I put in (which will NOT be grown again).

I also found that they resisted the blight better than the King Edwards.

So will certainly be considered for next year.

Derek

[lozza_9]

Yep I had Bonnie free from T&M and I was very impressed with the result. Got some really nice big ones aswell. Got a great crop. I actually planted a two stages and I still have the last stage to dig up which I may do in a few weeks.

I can recommend them to anyone. They are a great spud.

Loz

[moggssue]

Sorry folks, does 'shawed' mean you cut the foliage off? And how long were they in the ground to get such big tatties? Could you grow them with lady cristl as an early and the bonnie as a main?

[SarzWix]

I got them free from T&M too, but didn't have room to get them in, so gave most of em away (Minty, how'd they do??!!). The few that I kept, I planted late in a tub with the intention of putting them undercover later. Unfortunately, the dreaded blight got them about a week after the tops started showing over the top of the bucket..
Hey ho. Mebbe I'll try them next year if they were so great..?!!

[sewer rat]

Checked the potato council website and they list Bonnie as ideal for baking. Its parentage is Estima crossed with a variety which is only numbered and not named. The fact its recommended for baking would sugest it could be left as long as you want and will continue to bulk up. Me I think about 300g is dig enough for a tattie.

Mogsue - you are correct - shawed is the term we use up here for the haulm and if you shaw your tatties - or any other veg for thet matter, you are removing the foliage.