Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Potato & Tomato Popularity Polls => Topic started by: arugula on October 09, 2010, 19:00

Title: Second early potato choice 2010 - RESULTS!
Post by: arugula on October 09, 2010, 19:00
Based on your growing results and combining the factors of flavour, yield and disease resistance, what in your opinion is the best second early potato to grow - choose up to 3 varieties and help everyone choose what to grow next year.

:)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: DD. on October 09, 2010, 20:34
As I've said to Argyllie in a PM, (we've colluded on this), this will be a guide, what works for one is not guaranteed to work in someone else's soil.

Bear in mind that one person may have hit on the best spud in the world. That spud will still only get one vote.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: arugula on October 09, 2010, 20:50
Any comments regarding growing experiences are useful. :)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: solway cropper on October 09, 2010, 22:27
This year I grew Charlotte and Kestrel, both in large tubs and in the ground. Both are excellent croppers but the Charlotte wins for flavour whereas the kestrel produced the biggest tubers. I got some good bakers from the Kestrel although they were a bit scabbed which I put down to the exceptionally dry weather we had in spring. Some commercial growers round here swear by Wilja which seem to do well in our micro-climate so I'll give them a try next year.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: TheSpartacat on October 09, 2010, 23:49
My picks are Maris Peer- absolutely delish and great yield!! They are also storing rather well for me! Some really good sized spuds, and very versatile.

Ulster Sovereign- My first time to grow these and love them! Brilliant yield, didn't get hit with any critters/slugs/scab.... and I grew them next to my Lord Rosebery's which came up looking a little nibbled and scaly looking. Good flavour- somewhere between floury and waxy, which i like- versatile spud!! Nice baked, mashed, boiled, steamed... i'm getting through them fast.

And my third pick, and possibly favourite, is Gladstone. I will definitely grow them next year. Lovely even shaped, nicely sized potatoes, perfect skins- no damage at all... much greater yield even than the Maris Peer and the flavour is lovely!!
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: veggieman on October 10, 2010, 08:50
Living in Shetland, the Shetland Black variety is regarded as being a maincrop variety in these parts.
I have grown them each year and the skins tend to come away when boiled but they are a tasty variety with a "floury" taste.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: arugula on October 10, 2010, 10:23
Did you vote for them then veggieman? Where I needed extra help or advice, I took my information from the British Potato Variety Database or if not listed there from seed potato supplier websites. A fun way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon.

:)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: digalotty on October 10, 2010, 17:19
and a very well done to you for setting it up         great thread :)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: veggieman on October 10, 2010, 17:39
Shetland Blacks now have a vote !
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: arugula on October 10, 2010, 18:11
Thanks digalotty and well done veggieman!

:)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: bluealf on October 10, 2010, 18:28
Kestrel for me.

 :)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: Mosslane on October 10, 2010, 18:46
We grew Vivaldi and loved their taste. They grew well in our sandy soil and I'm only sorry we didn't have more instead of our earlies.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: Muddylou on October 10, 2010, 19:03
Kestrel for me to, though I agree they have a tendency to scab (well on my allotment they do). Great roasters though.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: rowlandwells on October 10, 2010, 21:03
my second early variety is majestic a good allround spud suits most soils including my lottie although we find that red Tate's do best on our ground Desiree very good cropper i did omit to use fertilizer this year and din't achieve the best results as usual silly me :mad:

when i worked on the farm some 40years ago we would grow a variety called record  a again a good cropper must give it a go some time perhaps next year ::)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: Redgoat on October 11, 2010, 00:33
Anya did well for me.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: cornykev on October 11, 2010, 19:46
Kestrel again for me.    :D :D :D
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: chriscross1966 on October 12, 2010, 02:14
Apart from the wacky Highland Burgundies the only seconds I grew this year were Anya an dI will grow them again, if only to have something that's approximately a PFA earloier in the year..... Might try some others too...

chrisc
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: tontom on October 14, 2010, 20:12
My second early was also a very tasty and abundant Maris Peer and will grow again next year :D
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: davethespread on October 17, 2010, 19:04
i had a good crop of international kidney grown in bags at home this year,although not the same as jersey royals very tasty all the same ;)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: NASH on October 20, 2010, 15:31
Vivaldi for me, large crop and making the best roasties I have had, crunchy and great taste.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: MoreWhisky on October 20, 2010, 18:51
Wilja! ive even saved some for Christmas dinner they are that good!!
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: prakash_mib on October 21, 2010, 14:30
forgot to label them (again) and charlotte and nicola came superb and they look and taste very similar (well to me though  :lol:)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: spot1986 on October 23, 2010, 12:32
For the last few years I have grown British Queen, Charlotte, Kestrel and Yukon Gold. They have all performed well. If I had to drop one it would likely be Kestrel, simply because it does not quite match the others for flavour, other than that it is a cracker, good yield, cooks well and the slugs don't seem to like it. Difficult one to call really. My 'other', Yukon Gold, is a beauty.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: purplebean on October 27, 2010, 10:02
Charlotte, grows well, good yield, cooks well and tastes delicious  :D
Title: Re: Second early potato choice - vote for your favourite!
Post by: madcat on October 28, 2010, 17:30
charlottes, maris peer and kestrel are my staples ... plus I have some Belle de Foutaine (sent as a replacement for Ratte) as salad potatoes.  All have done well, but if I had to drop one it would be the Maris Peer.  I like wiljas, but since I can buy them at a reasonable price cash from the local farm when mine run out, they aren't using valuable space.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - vote for your favourite!
Post by: Pompey Spud on November 03, 2010, 09:06
First year that I've grown Charlotte.

I will be growing mostly these next year as they're soooo tasty and are rather pricey in the shops. A few rows of Kestrel as well.

I'll be growing virtually all 2nd earlies from now on with a row of 1st and main. Quicker turn around of space, will hopefully harvest before any blight and spuds like Charlotte are expensive.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - vote for your favourite!
Post by: arugula on November 12, 2010, 15:31
Thanks to all who have taken part. :) We'll close the voting tomorrow as you should all have harvested by now (apart from Christmas tatties).

:)
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - RESULTS!
Post by: arugula on November 13, 2010, 11:06
Charlotte a clear winner over Kestrel. :D
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - RESULTS!
Post by: Iain@JBA on November 14, 2010, 10:51
I was very close as I voted Charlotte, Kestrel and Wilja.
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - RESULTS!
Post by: huwnick on February 03, 2011, 16:50
 :wacko:We are going for challote this year as last year was no good
Title: Re: Second early potato choice 2010 - RESULTS!
Post by: mumofstig on February 04, 2011, 21:28
I'm going to lock last years topic now, if you really feel you need to add something then ask a mod to re-open it   ;)