Growing potatoes

Gers

I'm trying to think ahead!

Never having grown anything to eat, apart from four strawberries and five blackberries, I now want to branch out and attempt potatoes.

I've got some potato bags ready and would love some advice please.

I want to grow some real old-fashioned tasting potatoes. My 88 year old mum moans about bland tasting tatties so I want to surprise her at some point next year.

Are there any varieties I should be looking for?

Can I plant at staggered times to get a rolling programme for supply, something like two or three weeks apart? I'm only using 8 litre bags so am expecting a small amount of return from each.

I know these are probably very basic questions but I've tried surfing for answers and got bogged down in professional websites.

Thanks.

zaax

Search locally for potato day, its usally in Febuary when you can get lots of different seed potatoes.
http://www.potato-days.net/

Though I just get normal pototoes from the suppermarket and some times chitt them and put them in sack or buckets to grow

esuhl

My late mother bought two old-style plastic dustbins, drilled/poked a few drainage holes near the bottom and planted seed potatoes in about a foot of soil (from grow-bags).

As the potatoes sprouted and grew, mum periodically put in another layer of soil until the dustbins were nearly full. Once the sprouts die down, they're ready to harvest.

We completely cleared one bin of all the potatoes, but must've left a few tiddlers in the other one. Next year they sprouted and eventually we had another supply of them.

In the other tub, I put an old, soft, partly-sprouting baking potato that was too skanky to eat. That sprouted, and every year we get potatoes again. I haven't had to do anything at all to them the last six years, although I did water them once or twice on really hot days.

I can't help with varieties, but the supermarket ones grow really well, although they have thin skins and are quite bland. The seed potatoes have thicker skins, are less regular in shape, and don't grow quite so vigorously, but they taste better.

Bit of a ramble! Don't know if that helps at all!

Gers

Thanks for the replies.

Not many potato days in Scotland, the link given only covers England.

It's varieties I'm really interested in. I like ones like Ratte / Pink Firs but my Mum (who I'm growing for) likes more earthy tasting potatoes. I don't eat many potatoes but know that some more commercial varieties can be very watery and bland.

I remember well the taste of Ayrshire (early ones I think) but not sure if this is an actual variety.

Justagardener

There is a useful article in the telegraph gardening dig around for the best potatoes. Talking about how varieties grow differently up north to down south and therefore differing in flavour.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/9862734/Dig-around-for-the-best-tasting-potatoes.html

Gers

Justagardener wrote: »

There is a useful article in the telegraph gardening dig around for the best potatoes. Talking about how varieties grow differently up north to down south and therefore differing in flavour.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/9862734/Dig-around-for-the-best-tasting-potatoes.html

Thanks for that - I've had a good read.

I've also done a little research about Ayrshires, the 'best' one is reputed to be Epicure so I'll hunt for that after New Year. Ratte and Pink Fir Apple are also definites.

I'd like one more old fashioned tasty variety if anyone can recommend it?

Also - can I stagger the planting to keep a supply going?

Justagardener

Also - can I stagger the planting to keep a supply going?
/QUOTE]
There is no need just plant first early second early and main crop varieties... if you try and hold earlies back they will probably just catch up. It's nice to have all the different flavours

Hoof_Hearted

I have grown many different varieties on my allotment. Some are very vulnerable to slug damage and scab. My rock solid varieties, which I intend to grow every year, are Pentland Javelin and Desiree. Red potatoes seem to be most resistant to damage.

LessImpecunious

Gers wrote: »

the 'best' one is reputed to be Epicure so I'll hunt for that after New Year. Ratte and Pink Fir Apple are also definites.

Local or soil conditions seem to make a big difference to flavour - I found both Epicure and Ratte to be non-descript in flavour; Ratte also (as an early maincrop) had lost c. half the tubers to blight by the time I dug them, tho' may have been better if dug early....

Gers

LessImpecunious wrote: »

Local or soil conditions seem to make a big difference to flavour - I found both Epicure and Ratte to be non-descript in flavour; Ratte also (as an early maincrop) had lost c. half the tubers to blight by the time I dug them, tho' may have been better if dug early....

Thanks.

I'll be growing in bags as my soil is mostly rubbish so all should be well. 'Ayrshire earlies' are renown for their excellent flavour and I've eaten some wonderful home-grown Rattes and Pink Firs in the past.

Off to look for suppliers!

juliesname

I've grown Epicure - can plant it a little earlier than most as it will take colder weather, even in my clay soil. Very tasty, though uneven shape and tends to break up in boiling. It's a floury kind rather than a salad waxy one. Tho???son and Morg?n usually stock it. Is supposed to be dug up early but I've sometimes left them in a while to get bigger ones - otherwise it's 1 decent size, several golf-balls and a handful of marbles.