[StevetFoxhunters]

Hi, looking for some advice please. I have had my allotment for 5 years and followed a crop rotation plan, adding manure and compost. Each year my potatoes have looked good when growing and a good size when dug up etc. They have stored well in sacks. Problem is each year they have gone mushy when boiling and have had a dry powdery taste. I have tried varies types including Desiree, Arran Pilot, King Edward, to mention a few. I have the plot ready for the end of March!
     I have read lack of moisture in early growing could be a cause, but not 5 years running, and I water if I think things are dry.
     Any advice on a potato variety to try or a soil addition please?
     Thanks.

[Snowboar]

I’ve had that with king Edwards .grew in containers last time and didn’t get it, wonder if I’d left them in ground to long first time I grew Maris piper in the containers

[hasbeans]

Casablanca have worked for me as an all-rounder.  They are an early but I leave em in the ground and treat them like a main and seem to store well.

Steaming your spuds instead of boiling should help with the mushiness.

[bayleaf]

Charlotte is a good variety and more like a salad potato.

[StevetFoxhunters]

Thanks, seems to be a common problem with no clear cause. I am going to buy from a seed potato merchant and give ” Wilco’s” a miss!

[Grubbypaws]

I really like Jazzy for by boiled potatoes. Not only are they nice and waxy (so never go mushy ) and delicious but you can grow them as second earlies or leave them to be mains.

[Hungry Caterpillar]

I suspect it's something to do with the soil, I never had this problem where we used to live, but on my current plot potatoes which always used to be reliably good for me elsewhere seem to collapse on cooking. Waxy salad varieties do seem to be better, I've given up on Desiree, which used to be my staple maincrop, and now grow mostly Charlotte and pink fir apple. Charlotte are an early but will make bigger tubers if left in the ground until the tops die back, and also have the advantage that they can finish growing before the blight strikes if you're lucky!

[bobbyt]

Agree about Charlotte, tried harvesting them as soon as they flowered as recommended by Monty Don, really good, just like a new potato, not sure if they will store well though as they are second early.

[Mintyboy]

I agree with Hungry Caterpiller I am sure it is something to do with the soil. On my plot practically every variety of spud tends to go floury except for Pink Fir Apple and sometimes Maris Peer, and over the years I've grown loads of different varieties. There is no problem cooking floury potatoes just steam them instead of boiling.

[New shoot]

Sarpo Kifli might be worth a go.  You would have to buy them mail order, but they are main crop variety that stores and has the new potato texture and taste.

You can harvest them early, but if you leave them to develop, they get to a really good size.  They are heavy croppers as well