seed potatoes

crackcrack30

I seen seed potatoes in b&q today for 4.40e, looked like a 1-2kg bag
is it too early to buy these where else can they be bought? what are the nice variaties ?
cheers

fodda

Sante organic spuds and blight resistant.

Same spuds as what the supermarket sell for organic spuds.

Cardinal Richelieu

Traditionally Homeguards are the first earlies, not blight resistent but good flavour and yield isn't bad for a first early variety. If you plant this time of year you miss most of the mid summer blight weather anyway but you need a greenhouse or pollytunnel. Another variety is Colleen but not great flavour IMHO but a good looking spud.

The Sante variety mentioned above I wouldn't recommend for planting as a first early as its a main crop variety. I think the poster is confusing Sante with the hungarian blight resistent Sarpo varieties, do called blight resistent they do catch blight but are resistent to a number of blight strains. Sarpo taste is questionable and has been discussed here before.

redser7

Would you happen to know where I could get homegaurds now? Have some Anabelles chitting at the moment, hope they do ok. Also heard that Lady Crystal are a great early, ever tried those? Thanks

fodda

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

The Sante variety mentioned above I wouldn't recommend for planting as a first early as its a main crop variety. I think the poster is confusing Sante with the hungarian blight resistent Sarpo varieties, do called blight resistent they do catch blight but are resistent to a number of blight strains. Sarpo taste is questionable and has been discussed here before.

I think you are getting confused.......Nobody has mentioned planting "early crops".

And the sante i am talking about is an organic blight resistant spud grown by commercial organic growers.....and me:)........and it says "Sante" on the bags when i buy em and plant em.............I just ate 4 and they tasted quite nice:)

Cardinal Richelieu

fodda wrote: »

I think you are getting confused.......Nobody has mentioned planting "early crops".

And the sante i am talking about is an organic blight resistant spud grown by commercial organic growers.....and me:)........and it says "Sante" on the bags when i buy em and plant em.............I just ate 4 and they tasted quite nice:)

OP was asking why it too early to buy pots so I assume they want to know what are the good varieties to plant in the early part of the year.

Just to clarify by blight resistant, it is bred to be resistent to certain strains of the older strains of blight but susceptable to the newer strains of blight.

Glad you enjoyed your spuds, we don't eat enough of them.

Cardinal Richelieu

redser7 wrote: »

Would you happen to know where I could get homegaurds now? Have some Anabelles chitting at the moment, hope they do ok. Also heard that Lady Crystal are a great early, ever tried those? Thanks

I actualy got mine from a local farmer 3 months back who had brought some over from Scotland, chitted them and planted. Your in Turvey arn't you? You might try asking in Jones Garden Centre or a long shot try White Agri at Ballough. There farmers too so you might be able to get some from farm stock. Just give them a bell.

I have no experience of the two varieties you mentioned but I always use the British Potato Variety Database as a guide, Quite detailed info

Lady Crystal - its a dutch bred variety so guranteed to be waxy in texture.

Annabelle -database says that this is across breed of Nicola which is one of the main varieties of baby pots that the supermarkets sell. Its a waxy salad pot so hopefully Annabelle has a similiar flavour. Nicola doesn't have a high yield.

fodda

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Just to clarify by blight resistant, it is bred to be resistent to certain strains of the older strains of blight but susceptable to the newer strains of blight.

Yep i know, mine were devastated by blight and i still got a massive crop off them.......removed all the tops and left them in the ground for 4 weeks and Bingo!!!:)......still got quite a few to chomp through.

redser7

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

I actualy got mine from a local farmer 3 months back who had brought some over from Scotland, chitted them and planted. Your in Turvey arn't you? You might try asking in Jones Garden Centre or a long shot try White Agri at Ballough. There farmers too so you might be able to get some from farm stock. Just give them a bell.

I have no experience of the two varieties you mentioned but I always use the British Potato Variety Database as a guide, Quite detailed info

Lady Crystal - its a dutch bred variety so guranteed to be waxy in texture.

Annabelle -database says that this is across breed of Nicola which is one of the main varieties of baby pots that the supermarkets sell. Its a waxy salad pot so hopefully Annabelle has a similiar flavour. Nicola doesn't have a high yield.

Thanks alot. Asked at Jones' and they won't have seed until into January, must try Whites.
Nicky Kyle (http://nickykylegardening.com/) raves about Lady Christl!
Got a tip and bought a kilo of Anabelles being sold as new potatoes in the supermarket (not garaunteed virus free but I'll take a chance). Apparently supermarkets market them this time of year as New but they are First Earlies stored over from last year. Washed them to remove the anti-sprouting agent and they are chitting away nicely. Going to try them in pots in the tunnel with some of my own garden compost, soil and fish, blood and bone. Will earth them up with chopped seaweed and some soil - to try and cut the cost of using store-bought compost. Fingers corssed.