[Helen_uk]

Hello,

Last year (1st year) I had an absolute joy growing my potatoes, they were all amazing and delish!

This year I have a probelm and I've had a look around and cant see anyone else having mentioned it before (although they prob have!)

Basically - all the plants are dying off, so they are ready, I've dug up a few of my maris pipers and also Kestrels, and when we've cooked them the skins split and the potatoes just fall away into the water. I thought it was because Id left the skins on, so I peelsed them but then I just ended up with white mush in the pan.

I also dug up some roosters yesterday and I roasted them, they were ok but a bit dry.

I'm really dissappointed and wondered if a) this is because the plants got damaged by the frost or b) they've had blight and I didnt realise?

I've got 2 big beds of potatoes so I'll be gutted if they're all rubbish!!

Advice/Help anyone?

Ta! 

[DD.]

Plants damaged by frost, will recover, this will not affect the spuds and you don't have blight without knowing it - you'd be aware of this!

Could be due to the dry weather, have you watered them?

Skin splitting in cooking often happens with really fresh dug spuds, how soon after harvest did you cook them?

Steaming in my view is the best way to cook spuds, (or any veg), rather than boiling, the skins are less prone to splitting and it keeps the goodness in.

[JayG]

Due to space considerations I only grow first earlies and have found that those lifted earlier taste better and boil better than if left in the ground "to the death".

I found Charlottes in particular to be a great spud when really young but for me broke up badly on boiling when more mature.

I'm sure soil and climate conditions have a lot to do with it as well.

[Belvoir]

I've had the same prolem with my spuds!!  (mush) I only grew them in tubs I may not other next year!!

[galen]

Know the problem well, experienced it last year.    We also find steaming to be the best way and also find cooking time to be considerably less than shop bought tatties. I think we start checking ours after 8 mins. 

[Helen_uk]

DD - I dug them up at lunch time yesterday and cooked them that evening.

Maybe Ive left them in too long? I've watered them a fair bit, and from quite early on.

I've got some desiree's in too I think (cant remember!) so I hope it won't be all of them - just really gutting when you've been waiting so long for them, have so many and they fall apart! Maybe I'll try roasting them instead.

How long does it take to steam potatoes? do you do it in a steamer or over a pan?

[joyfull]

As Galen has said already I also find fresh home grown spuds cook a lot quicker than shop bought so please be aware of this 

[Miss Molly]

Hi,

I'm new to this site and became a member specifically because i'm looking for the answer to this same problem.  I grew main crop pots. last year on my allotment and the whole lot went mushy when cooked. Was advised i may not have watered enough so this year (and on a different allotment plot) i grew first earlies. Didn't neglect watering, but exactly the same problem! Dont understand it.  Beginning to wonder if i should use the space they take, on something else next year which would be a real shame.  Anyone any thoughts?

p.s. have found a good way of cooking these tho, they stay whole, and are delicious.  Just scrub them, put into roasting tin with chopped rosemary and sliced garlic, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 1 hour.  Absolutely gorgeous, and they stay in one piece!

[chris23005]

Does this problem occur with different varieties? We always used to find that Duke of York potatoes went to mush in the pan and we had to watch them very carefully when cooking. 7-10 minutes was all that was needed and if you missed the "mush point" they weren't even good enough to mash!!!

The potatoes I have grown this year were all fine (Swift, Maris Peer and Sunrise). However, I now cook my potatoes in their skins, bring them to the boil and then turn the heat off and leave them in boiling hot water so that I can check on them better. Also maybe the boiling motion is agitating the potatoes too much, I don't know. I agree that steaming is best if you can do it though. We don't have an extractor hood in this kitchen (yet!) so I avoid steaming as the water runs down the inside of the windows!!!

[Mother-Hen]

Hi, I think it may have something to do with the breed of spud as we had the same problem with kestrel last year ( haven't grown them this year) but our maris were fine.

[DD.]

DD - I dug them up at lunch time yesterday and cooked them that evening.

That could be one of your reasons, shop bought spuds will have been out of the ground for several days before you get to them. Yoiu have to make adjustments when cooking your own veg as opposed to shop bought ones and you'll get used to it with practice!

[madcat]

How long does it take to steam potatoes? do you do it in a steamer or over a pan?

I have given up boiling spuds, they are so much less trouble to steam and better for us.  I steam both ways - depends on convenience.  I like the electric steamer because I don't have to watch the clock, the timer is insistent!     And I just add layers with the other vegs at the right times.  But sometimes it is simpler to bung the steamer over a pan of water.   

It is taking about 16 - 18mins max for Pentland Javelins fresh out the ground at the moment in their skins.   More than that and the skins start to peel off.  If the potatoes are cut in half, it happens sooner, so steam a bit less and let them finish cooking in their own heat.  Lovely floury insides made for a little butter .... or some parsley sauce to go with some gammon ..  mmmmm.

[noshed]

My drought-struck Pentland Javelins and Pink Fir Apples have cooked up lovely. Steaming is better if you can though and roasting in their skins with herbs is delicious...

[JohnB47]

I agree with Mother-Hen re Kestrels. I've cooked them when lifted early and when left in the ground for a few weeks - in both cases very difficult to keep in one piece when boiling. I haven't had this problem with Vanessa, Maris Bard, Lady Christl or King Edwards, so I assumed it as a variety thing.

[DD.]

It's not a variety thing, as I grow them every year as a "must have" crop. I don't have that problem.