I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

"Chris" wrote in message
...
I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

They are available, but don't expect the Jersey Royal flavour - unless you
have plenty of seaweed to hand.....

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 08:26:17 +0000, Chris wrote:

~I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
~potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
~cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
~There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
~the seed for them?

Don't where you're looking!
All the major spud suppliers have them.

http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/index...10&d=300&e= 0
3kg £6.25 6kg £9.95, postage £3.95 regardless of number of packs
http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/...oduct/z12277/1
20 tubers £3.59, postage £4.99 regardless
http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/acatal...nfirstpot.html
3kg £6.95 6kg £12.50, postage £1.95
http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/acatalog/ (Click on seed potatoes and
first earlies)
1.5kg £4.45 3kg £7.25, postage £1.95

I'm getting mine from the HDRA potato day, at 15p per tuber.
They're the first spuds I grew, and not hard for a novice. Put plenty
of organic matter in the bed before planting and then add seaweed meal
fertiliser to boost them when growing, nearest we can get to vraic.

Treat as first early. They are variously described as first/second
early or early maincrop: this is correct, but I believe one of the
biggest complaints of growers to the seed companies is that Int
Kidneys fall and are floury so they must have sent the wrong seed. You
MUST dig early as they do change from waxy to floury otherwise!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

On 19/1/05 8:26, in article ,
"Chris" wrote:

I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

All the major suppliers have International Kidney, of which Jersey Royal is
a fluke. But as Chris says, without seaweed, they're just not as
good....(I'm Jersey born and bred. ;- )
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 12:25:54 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

On 19/1/05 8:26, in article ,
"Chris" wrote:

I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

All the major suppliers have International Kidney, of which Jersey Royal is
a fluke. But as Chris says, without seaweed, they're just not as
good....(I'm Jersey born and bred. ;- )


Thanks for all your help - the websites are just what I needed.
(obviously wasnt looking hard enough!) As for the seaweed, I live on
the coast but collecting it will be the problem! Still, if I want the
flavour, its got to be done. Thanks again.

On 19/1/05 13:07, in article ,
"Chris" wrote:

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 12:25:54 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

On 19/1/05 8:26, in article ,
"Chris" wrote:

I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

All the major suppliers have International Kidney, of which Jersey Royal is
a fluke. But as Chris says, without seaweed, they're just not as
good....(I'm Jersey born and bred. ;- )


Thanks for all your help - the websites are just what I needed.
(obviously wasnt looking hard enough!) As for the seaweed, I live on
the coast but collecting it will be the problem! Still, if I want the
flavour, its got to be done. Thanks again.

Wait for autumn storms and bladder wrack and spread it on the soil to break
down before planting. In Jersey, this takes place November/December and
planting is early in the next year.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't give the seed potatoes a try this year,
though!
And only Jersey Royals are Jersey Royals. "The Jersey Royal is the only
British fresh produce which enjoys EU protection of designation of origin in
much the same way that France was granted sole use of the word Œchampagne¹."
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Following up to Chris

I would really like to try growing international royal kidney
potatoes. Firstly, I cannot seem to locate them, secondly, if I
cannot locate them, does that mean they are hard to grow?
There is nothing like the taste of Jersey Royals so why cant we get
the seed for them?

I tried them this year on a dry sunny site in Kent, allotmenter
next door did same few years back, absolutely awful in both
cases. Wrong terroir!
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

On 19/1/05 16:37, in article ,
" wrote:

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:07:53 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

And only Jersey Royals are Jersey Royals. "The Jersey Royal is the only
British fresh produce which enjoys EU protection of designation of origin in
much the same way that France was granted sole use of the word ¨«champagne
©ö."

Far more UK fresh produce is protected, Jersey Royals are the only
protected vegetable
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/foodname/uk.htm

It's interesting, then that the sites I looked at were most specific in the
terms 'only fresh food'. I'm assuming that by this they do not mean cheese
which is a processed food.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Following up to

I tried them this year on a dry sunny site in Kent, allotmenter
next door did same few years back, absolutely awful in both
cases. Wrong terroir!

Wrong seaweed?

I used horse shit, seahorse shit is hard to come by.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

In article ,
The Reids wrote:
Following up to

I tried them this year on a dry sunny site in Kent, allotmenter
next door did same few years back, absolutely awful in both
cases. Wrong terroir!

Wrong seaweed?

I used horse shit, seahorse shit is hard to come by.

Not as hard as rocking horse shit.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.