It’s time to think about growing a few spuds.
I was chatting to Klaus Laitenberger from Green VegetableSeeds this week about planting times for the varieties he stocks in his shop. Klaus
tells us there are some amazing and unique varieties available and his tubers
listed here are certified disease free, which will save any shortages this year.
Planting definitions of
potatoes
First earlies: Plant
in tunnel in February and harvest in late May/June. Plant outdoors in mid-March and harvest July. Spacing: 20cm in drill (drills widely spaced so you can earth up)
Second earlies: Plant
outdoors in late March/mid April and harvest late July to September. Spacing: 30cm in drill (drills widely
spaced so you can earth up)
Maincrop: Plant
outdoors in mid-April and harvest late September to October. Spacing: 30cm in drill (drills widely spaced so you can earth up)
There are usually about 10-12 seed potatoes in a kilo.
Different types of
potatoes
International Kidney
– also known as Jersey Royal (First Early)
Jersey Royal certainly sounds a lot better than
International Kidney, but only potato growers from Jersey can call them with
the real name. This potato originated in
Jersey around 1880. The EU protects this
variety and it was given protection of designation of origin (PDO), just like
champagne that can only come from the Champagne region.
You can grow them like any early potato and plant the seed
potatoes around mid-March. Potatoes can
be harvested from June onwards. If left
in the ground a bit longer they can be used as maincrop potatoes, for roasting,
chips or wedges.
Red Duke of York
(First Earlies)
One of the few red-skinned first early varieties. They grow easily and produce a high yield of
delicious large tuber suitable for baking and chips.
Red Duke of York potatoes can be planted from mid-March/early
April and harvest starts in July.
Homeguard (First
Earlies)
A first early potato. It has an excellent flavour and good
scab resistance. Blight resistance is
low but is usually harvested before blight arrives. A great all-rounder suitable for steaming,
boiling, baking, mashing, roasting and frying.
Homeguard potatoes can be planted from mid-March/early April
and harvest starts in July.
Charlotte (second
early)
Charlotte is a second early waxy potato which are excellent
for boiling without falling apart. The
flesh is creamy yellow. They taste delicious hot or cold in a potato
salad. They also make delicious roast
potatoes. Charlotte grows on all soils
and has good overall disease resistance. Blight resistance is average but good
resistance to slugs and scab.
Charlotte potatoes can be planted in late March/early April
and harvest starts in late July.
Wilja (second early)
Wilja is well known for its taste. It has the old-fashioned real potato
flavour. It’s a dry potato excellent
for boiling, roasting and chips. The
potatoes are less prone to disintegrating if boiled too long. It also has good resistance to scab and
slugs.
Wilja potatoes can be planted in late March/early April and
harvest starts in late July.
Arran Victory
(maincrop)
A heritage variety from 1918 bred on the Arran Island on the
West Coast of Scotland. The tubers have
deep purple skins and pure white flesh. It’s
delicious steamed, roasted or mashed, but falls apart when boiled.
Arran Victory potatoes can be planted in mid-April and
harvest starts in September/October.
Salad Blue (maincrop)
First grown around 1900. Both the skin and the flesh have a
deep blue/purple colour that remains even after boiling. You can have blue chips, blue potato salad or
even a blue mash. The name Salad Blue may be a bit misleading as its best use
is for mashed potatoes and not for salad unless you like a stodgy potato
salad.
Salad Blue potatoes can be planted in mid-April and harvest
starts in September/October.
Sarpo Mira (maincrop)
You’ll be guaranteed a massive yield of potatoes and the one
that blight will not touch. There have
been many years where all other varieties collapsed with blight and this one
stood proud with not a sign of the dreaded disease. Sarpo Mira has very large, irregular shaped
pink tubers. The growth is very strong
and the foliage quickly covers the soil thus reducing the need for weed
control.
Sarpo Mira potatoes can be planted in mid-April and harvest
starts in September/October.
Golden Wonder
(maincrop)
A gourmet potato with many followers. It has a chestnut creamy brown russet skin
and is one of the most floury potatoes and has a lot of fans in Ireland. The flavour is excellent. It’s suitable for
boiling, steaming and roasting.
Golden Wonder potatoes can be planted in mid-April and
harvest starts in September/October.
Pink Fir Apple
(maincrop)
Also known as a fingerling potato due to the long and
narrow, knobbly tubers. The skin is pink
and the flesh is white. The flavour is
outstanding, a nutty, earthy buttery taste.
In fact it tastes like an already buttered potato. It’s ideal for boiling and makes a delicious
potato salad.
All this talk of spuds is making me hungry. I’m going to pop
a few in the oven.
