[fatcat1955]

All my Charlotte pots fall to bits when boiled, bought from T&M so not cheap pound shop ones. They are only in the pan for minutes when they start breaking up. Any thought's?

[Carollan]

I steam mine ,they still start to collapse around the edges,but not as badly as when they are boiled.

[JayG]

Two thoughts (might be three!) 

I've grown most of the usual suspects as far as new potatoes are concerned, and once they get beyond salad potato size they do seem to become a bit more "fragile."

They probably firm up with storage but then they don't have the same taste.

Steaming them over a bed of mint seems to work quite well (but you still need to keep an eye on them.)

[peapod]

This happens with a lot of home grown spuds, not just earlies. 

The trick is to steam them (as said) or keep a much closer eye on them when cooking.  They are usually a lot quicker to cook than shop bought spuds (I've found by at least 5 minutes)and do have that 'turning point' that our Jay has said that can mean they turn to mush quickly.

[DD.]

I've found that my Charlottes are doing this this year as well. PJ's & LC's are fine & Epicure are even better cookers.

[fatcat1955]

Last year the charlotte's were lovely boiled but this year....rubbish. Swift and Estima were good this year too so i will put it down to weather, dodgy seed potatoes or just experience. Thanks for the replies folks.

[RichardA]

my charlottes are fine, OH tends to roast them or chip them with skins on but even if boiling for potato salad without skins seem to hold together very well. Superb as a jacket potato - just right size for the grandkids.
I have watered moderately through driest bits of the season and getting good sizes and quantity. Perhaps that is not so easy for everyone
R

[hogwarden]

I agree-best of the lot for flavour and cooking-haven`t seen one fall apart when boiled

[azubah]

My charlottes are fine and taste lovely. Are you sure that yours are charlotte? They should be oval, smooth and yellowish in colour.

[DD.]

I'm sure mine are Charlotte and they do split.

[Yorkie]

Mine too 

[sarajane]

My Charlottes are cooking lovely, as are my red duke of yorks.....however

years ago all of my spuds used to collapse when cooked and I nearly gave up growing them until I stopped watering them.  Now I only water when the leaves have drooped so much they look as though they are on the point of ..dying.  I mainly let nature take its course and once planted they are left to get on with it.

Spuds are like sponges and if they take on too much water they will 'fall apart' when cooked.

[Yorkie]

Mine aren't watered either .... and they still fall apart

[DD.]

Mine are right next to the first early spuds which don't fall apart, so the growing conditions are the same.

Last year the situation was just the opposite.

Anyway they're now bigger than salad spud size and make great garlic & herb wedges!

[shokkyy]

I did Charlotte this year for the first time, and have been really pleased how well they cooked. I'm the world's worst person for walking off and forgetting about the spuds, and I haven't managed to make one disintegrate yet. The PJs, on the other hand, I wasn't so pleased with. They taste nice but I like to cook new spuds with their skin on, and PJs always seem to shed their skin when cooking.