Early Potatoes
 

Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather impressed,
probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for yield, tuber
quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try different varieties
every year. When the potatoes were still small we were getting over 3lb from
each plant and the last Inova we dug up we got over 5lbs although they are
beginning to get large, still taste nice though. The Printalines seem to
have stayed smaller, more like new potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK (on Thames silt/clay ph6.5 in a dry spot)

Early Potatoes
 

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste
nice though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like
new potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?


Bob,
We will give Inova and Printaline a go next year from your recommendation,
as we always get a few new to try.(I say always, this is our 4th year).

Favourites are

My dad always grew Arran Pilot and have found then so sweet and early so
have done them since I had my own garden, always will.
Another good one I have done again this year is Pentland Javelin which are
prolific with the yeild and so sweet tasting early on. You could leave
these in the ground and have them for mashing, chipping and roasting.

I grew some samples of Swift and Premiere this year and am not impressed at
all.

I can't see any new(first early) potato beating Arran Pilot for taste but
will keep on trying, and next year with your recommendation will give those
you mention a go.

Baz

Early Potatoes
 

Sacha wrote in :

On 2011-06-26 12:27:17 +0100, "Bob Hobden" said:

Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste
nice though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like new
potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?

International Kidney and they're delicious!

I could not find any to buy localy, I know how good they are, but no body
has them. Online is far too expensive.
I guess you are talking about the former Jersey Royal.
They are up there in my top 10 first earlies.

Baz

Early Potatoes
 

"Sacha" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" said:

Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste nice
though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like new
potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?

International Kidney and they're delicious!


They are OK too, but for us on our soil, these this year are better IMO,
more new potato taste.
Of course, if grown like they do on Jersey it's a different matter.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Early Potatoes
 

"Baz" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote in


Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early potatoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste
nice though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like
new potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?


Bob,
We will give Inova and Printaline a go next year from your recommendation,
as we always get a few new to try.(I say always, this is our 4th year).

Favourites are

My dad always grew Arran Pilot and have found then so sweet and early so
have done them since I had my own garden, always will.
Another good one I have done again this year is Pentland Javelin which are
prolific with the yield and so sweet tasting early on. You could leave
these in the ground and have them for mashing, chipping and roasting.

I grew some samples of Swift and Premiere this year and am not impressed
at
all.

I can't see any new(first early) potato beating Arran Pilot for taste but
will keep on trying, and next year with your recommendation will give
those
you mention a go.


Isn't Arran Pilot a bit floury? Floury potatoes are no good here as it's a
dry spot anyway so even potatoes said to be waxy end up floury and floury
potatoes end up as just mash in the pan.
The two we grew were not what we wanted but were the suggestion of the
expert at the Hampshire Potato Day when we asked about the two we wanted,
Florette and Cherie (reserve Amandine). He said they were the nearest
alternative but had Florette and Cherie back at Charlton Park GC (who run
the potato day) but hadn't yet got DEFRA approval to sell them because the
French grower sent them late. After travelling to Hampshire, a journey in
the other direction to Wantage, Oxfordshire just for a few seed potatoes
wasn't on.
Our problem now is do we try Florette and Cherie next season or stick with
Inova and Printaline.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

We had Lady Crystl and Red Duke of York a couple of weeks ago and Lady Crystl won hands down.
Red D of Y yielded well and looked beautiful but was far too floury for an early
Lady C had a lovely sweetness ( as someone mentioned for Arran Pilot )

We are now on the Charlotte and very pleased with them. Good yield and none too big yet

Looking forward to Harlequin and Edgecome? Purple next week but also have more Lady Crystl which were held back and planted 6 weeeks after the others

Early Potatoes
 

On 26/06/2011 12:27, Bob Hobden wrote:
Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste nice
though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like new
potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?

Harvesting Lady Christl (?) now. A few plants came down with black-leg
and the yields have been variable. Smooth tasty potatoes. Leaving
Kestrel till later. The plants certainly look more vigorous.

Early Potatoes
 

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

Our problem now is do we try Florette and Cherie next season or stick
with Inova and Printaline.

Bob, you will only know with experiments every year.
If you are satisfied with Inova and Printaline this year, then grow them as
your main earlies.
You can always experiment with others by buying a few and see how you like
them. Trial and error.

I know you don't like my choice but we have to keep on trying. We will
maybe never get it absolutely perfect but by trying a few every year we
might get near the perfect new spud. Or will we?

Baz

Early Potatoes
 

On 26/06/2011 13:27, Bob Hobden wrote:
Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste nice
though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like new
potato size.

So please let us know how your varieties have done?


I've grown daisy for the third year now. They are a second early. They
weren't quite so nice as a boiled potato this year being a little floury
and they also have a little scab, perhaps due to the long period of dry
weather. However the yield is good and they make good sized potatoes if
left until they die off naturally. The make excellent chips and mashed
potatoes and keep well overwinter too. Last years crop lasted around the
year - the old potatoes from last year started going soft and sprouting
too badly just as this years crop became ready to harvest a few roots.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

Early Potatoes
 

"Baz" wrote.

"Bob Hobden" wrote
Our problem now is do we try Florette and Cherie next season or stick
with Inova and Printaline.

Bob, you will only know with experiments every year.
If you are satisfied with Inova and Printaline this year, then grow them
as
your main earlies.
You can always experiment with others by buying a few and see how you like
them. Trial and error.

I know you don't like my choice but we have to keep on trying. We will
maybe never get it absolutely perfect but by trying a few every year we
might get near the perfect new spud. Or will we?

I think if we can get all four varieties we will grow them all but only a
few of each. We don't eat a lot of potatoes so one row of earlies does us
(and the neighbours still get half!).
For those that have mentioned Second Earlies we only grow Kestral because
it's a damn good potato, keeps quite well and is slug resistant and that is
important for us.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Early Potatoes
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?
What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather
impressed, probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for
yield, tuber quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try
different varieties every year. When the potatoes were still small we
were getting over 3lb from each plant and the last Inova we dug up we
got over 5lbs although they are beginning to get large, still taste
nice though. The Printalines seem to have stayed smaller, more like
new potato size.
So please let us know how your varieties have done?

Four stragglers left in the soil have come up this year from my potato
experiment last year.

Strangely (at least to me) they just stopped growing once they were a few
inches tall. and now they're just sitting there looking pretty much the same
day after day instead of burgeoning into vines like last year. No idea why.
I keep meaning to dig one up and see what's going on underground. Probably
nothing much :)

Do very small "seed" potatoes (the little blighters missed when I dug up
last year's crop, basically) just have insufficient capacity to produce a
full plant? I would have thought once they get going, they'd root and the
size of the seed potato wouldn't matter, in my amateurish ignorance.

Or have I invented the bonsai potato?

Ian

Early Potatoes
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
Now everyone is eating their early potatoes how are they?

I pulled up a plant last week and was a bit disappointed with the crop and
the number of unswelled potatolets, so put it back in after taking the
bigger ones off. It's looking sad but alive atm.

What do you think of the varieties you grew for growth and taste?

My brain has gone blank and I can't remember my varities!

We grew Inova and Printaline this year and must say we are rather impressed,
probably the best early pototoes we have ever grown for yield, tuber
quality/shape and flavour and that says a lot as we try different varieties
every year. When the potatoes were still small we were getting over 3lb from
each plant and the last Inova we dug up we got over 5lbs although they are
beginning to get large, still taste nice though. The Printalines seem to
have stayed smaller, more like new potato size.

I'll make a note and look for them next year!

So please let us know how your varieties have done?

I think my problem was lack of water, so hopefully they'll be swelling up a
bit now. Still have half a bag of last year's that can be used for mashing,
so maybe dig some more up next weekend.

Oh. Buggeration! Looks like I may have accidentally pulled up a 2nd early
not a first early, that could explain things!!

1st Earlies: Riviera (huge bake/boil); hzd99-1437 (trial variety, like
Charlottes)

I had assumed I had 3, not 2. The hzd99-1437 are not very impressive top
growth so far, so I'm loath to pull up. I pulled up one from the 3rd row,
which is one of:

2nd Earlies: Maya Twilight (white with red splodges); Kestrel (white with
purple eyes, we like these - very showy); Yukon Gold (I think these are the
waxy yellow ones I liked last year - our records got a bit muddled); Toluca
(organic); Bonnie (new variety, like Estima)

I have a /suspicion/ but would have to check, that it was Toluca.
Definitely white, don't think they were yellow. Not sure what Bonnie was
like.

Anyhow. Tasted ok, but very low yield so far, but not surprising if they're
not meant to be up yet!!

Early Potatoes
 

Ian B wrote:
Do very small "seed" potatoes (the little blighters missed when I dug up
last year's crop, basically) just have insufficient capacity to produce a
full plant? I would have thought once they get going, they'd root and the
size of the seed potato wouldn't matter, in my amateurish ignorance.

I have had giant potato plants grow from peelings! But could it be to do
with the nutrient levels left in the soil, perhaps? If you grew potatoes
there last year and didn't feed for potatoes this year, perhaps they didn't
have enough oomph in them to get any further.

I have a small field of potatoes growing under my beans. :-/

Early Potatoes
 

Early Potatoes
 

Ian B wrote:
I guess it must be something like that. It's strange though, they're growing
amongst rhubarb, gooseberries, roses and garlic.

Which sounds like the title of a folk song :)

I think that would have to be
Rhubarb, garlic, gooseberries and rose!