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Jonathan Campbell · 29-06-2009, 06:26 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

wrote:
In article ,
Paul Luton wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
Suggestions for next year....
"Belle de Fontenay" or it's offspring "BF15" (slightly bigger tubers).
"International Kidney" (Jersey Royals but needs seaweed manure to get the
true flavour)
"Duke of York" (famous for flavour, can be floury wel old, also a Red D of
Y)

Basically, I agree with Bob, but here are some comments.

I have never found Jersey Royals to be exciting - yes, they are
better than supermarket whites, but that's a pretty low baseline.
Perhaps none of them were grown with seaweed!

Belle de Fontenay and BF15 are first class small, waxy potatoes,
superb for salad, boiled and roasted in olive oil. They should
never be peeled!

Red Duke of York is also excellent - as Bob says, floury - and
are first class mashed or baked and in other ways. I have never
grown ordinary Duke of York.

I have Red Duke of York as first earlies -- still lifting them. Approx.
0.85 kg per plant (say six potatoes per plant). I'd guess that is a
relatively poor crop --- maybe planted too close together, maybe needed
watering.

I grew Red DoY as first earlies only because I couldn't get Sharpe's
Express seed. I would not rate them highly for flavour (*) --- but they
are reasonably floury.

(*) Compared to British Queens (my second early) which I'll start
digging next week, or from memory of fifty years ago, ordinary Duke of York.

(This in North West Ireland). In Ireland, at least those of us brought
up on a farm for whom potatoes are more important than life or death, we
would never cook earlies other than by boiling (or steaming). A really
good early is reckoned to be flavoursome enough to be eaten alone, or
perhaps with some butter.

Best regards,

Jon C.
--
Jonathan Campbell www.jgcampbell.com BT48, UK.