[AndyRVTR]

Last year was a bit of a let down for my maincrop spuds, I grew Maris Piper and had major slug damage 
One of the guys on the site, a few plots down said he grew Roosters last year and he had a great crop with very little damage. From what I've read abou them, they are a variety of Desiree, has anyone had any experience of growing Rooster, and if so, what is your opinion?

[DD.]

Grew them this year.

Contary to what you plot neighbour found, I found the slugs went for mine. They were grown alongside a row of Ambo which had very little damage.

[cob nut]

We grew Roosters for the first time last year & were very disappointed with them especially after all the good things I had heard about them, we certainly won't be growing them again.

[peapod]

I too had a ridiculous amount of slug damage last year, and was planning on growing Desiree this time round.  I didnt know that Roosters were of the Desiree family, but Ive heard a few say they are worth growing.

I plan to fill a large bed with Desiree and a smaller bed with Roosters (if I can get them at the potato fayre in Feb)

EDIT - ok I HAD planned to, looks like a change of plan needed 

[Nikkithefoot]

I grew Roosters last year and was very disappointed. Quantity was fine but size was very small, mostly smaller than a tennis ball and nearer the size of a golf ball. By comparison my Red Cara grown in exactly the same way were fantastic, very large spuds and good quantity too.
I'm not planning on growing them again.

[paintedlady]

I've grown Rooster 2 years on the trot (I get a pack of the 5 seed spuds from Wilkos) - generally I'm happy with them.  Slug damage was minimal compared to say King Edwards which were a disaster 2 years ago, but then again, slug damage in general across the board was well down possibly due to the dry conditions in late spring/summer.  Yield was still good from just 5 seed potatoes though size were middling last year - again, possibly due to the dry conditions and infrequent watering, also when I saw signs of blight, I cut the haulms back to preserve the crop.  I've had to do that in both years I've grown them so not blight resistant.

I would probably still buy a 5 pack from Wilkos as I do like the eating qualities but I don't think I'd rely on it being my main crop of the season.

[1st time veg grower]

I grew them last year for the first time and had a reasonable yeild. Some had wireworm damage but under half, and none had slug damage despite being grown on the same bed as some carrots that, once the wireworms had got them, did get some slug damage.

I grew Desiree three growing seasons ago and did get a much larger yeild, however that was on totally different soil so its not really a fair comparison.

[binner]

i cant comment too much as i have not grown them but,
we used to buy desiree from the shops or rooster if they had no desiree and i found peeling rooster a pain as they tend to be small, i now grow desiree and have geart crops with little slug damage compared to first and second earlies, if rooster are a type of desiree then i would stick with them instead

[SUTTY1]

Grew them afew years back and was unimpressed.
 Poor crop and a fair bit of slug damage.

[herbiegrowsbananas]

We grew Desiree last year and they did really well, we were very pleased. We are going to grow them again this year, and also Charlottes for our salad potatoes.

Herbie