[totalnovice]

I grew both Lady Crystal and CHarlotte this year, Lady Chrystal got caught in a late frost and were totally killed back - i expected very little from them even after they bounced back. Very tasty tubers, small crop but i think the frost was partly to blame - very tasty once cooked too - nice and firm and full of flavour.
Charlotte were not as badly hit by frost, partly due to position (they were a bit more sheltered) and they were not as advanced as the LC. Yeild was higher than LC as i expected and the tubers were good sized, firm and very tasty. The charlotte potatos have been in the ground for a long while now - halums died back a month or so ago, they are still sitting well, and i still have another row to dig.

Both varieties are keeping well, and i am going to be growing both again next year i would imagine.

[Willie_Eckerslike]

I grew Pent Jav and Lady Chrystl both gave a reasonable yield although they both had a touch of blackleg. 2nd earlies were Charlotte and Marfona. Both suffered from wireworm which I expected as they were on new ground. Yields were quite low, but the surprise were the Marfonas. They were a last minute replacement for Kestrel which were out of stock.
The flavour has surpassed any other spud I have grown before. A proper old fashioned spud taste. They boil and mash well and make nice chips. Haven't tried roasting but will deffo grow next year in better soil.
Maincrop are Cara and still in the ground.

[JayG]

My main consideration has to be the eelworm resistance of the variety, and I only have room for first earlies.

I grew Lady Christl last year and though they were a great spud some of them suffered quite severely from eelworm attack so the yield was patchy.

The plan this year was to grow LC but start them a few weeks later in a bid to avoid late frosts and also get them in and out of the soil ASAP to reduce the effect.

That plan came unstuck when I couldn't find a local source of LC so grew Pentland Javelin instead (plus a few of last years LC volunteers I found whilst turning over the soil.)

They all grew really well and produced good crops even though there was still some evidence of the dreaded eelworm.
Not quite sure what I've learned from all this as it's been a strange year for many crops really. 

[Alastair-I]

International Kidney.. didn't hold too many expectations after reading reviews but I wanted to try them, probably started lifting them a little late as they tended to be a bit larger than planned (some of them getting on for jacket spuds).  Still got a few to lift and they're still eating well.  Probably not on the list for next year though.

Duke of York.. the first to be lifted were low-yielding, possibly the drier end of the bed, but as I moved along the bed the yield increased.  On the list again for next year, just more flavourful than the IKs.  I also had the problem of the skins exploding prematurely whilst the centre was still hard.. may have been the dry weather early on as the IKs also suffered this to a lesser extent.

Golden Wonder.. still in the ground.

[Aunt Sally]

1st earlies
Lady Crystl
Arron Pilot

2nd earlies
Nadine
Charlotte

Mains
Desiree
Cara
PFA

[DD.]

Since we're listing:

Lady Christl (this is the right way to spell them)
Pentland Javelin
Epicure

Kestrel
Charlotte

Ambo
Picasso (as they hadn't any Ambo at the time)
Sarpo Mira

Latter 3 are still growing due to late planting - so results as & when.

[Gandan57]

I grew two first earlies which I`d never grown before.

Impressive yield from Rocket, massive potatoes with not one smaller than my fist. Average flavour but the big problem was the slugs liked them, each one riddled with holes.    

My son`s boss, a farmer, gave me some Lady Christl seed, saying they were the creme de la creme. Not as high a yield as Rocket, fantastic flavour, but unpalatable to slugs, which ignored them.

So I`ll rely on my farmer friend to let me have my early seed next year. Looking to also try Rooster and Sarpo Mira.

[fatcat1955]

Rocket were good but Estima was a disaster. Charlottes gave a huge yield but broke up on boiling, unlike last years. Marie piper were full of slug holes but Desiree (grown next to M. Piper) were hardly touched and i managed to fill 4 25ltr tubs from 4 15ft rows. Had them today baked and they were superb. By the way as a sort of trial i bought both the main crops from Wilko,s and T&M. Whilst the T&M were bigger seeds, i can,t say that they produced a heavier crop. The T&M spuds were bigger but fewer in number than Wilko,s.

[DD.]

OK.

Root of "Ambo" taken at random. As I didn't plant until May foliage hasn't really died down yet.

Weight = 4lb 10.5oz (2.12 kilos)



I just love those pink eyes, they remind me of me the morning after.

[sunshineband]

Good lad, going out digging those up ... thank you 

 

[NN2Blue]

Despite being cut to the ground by the terrorist frost in May Red Duke of York provided a reasonable return under the circumstances. 2nd Drought year in a row in Northampton and I limited the watering to 200 gallons this year having been a water carrier for most of the season last year!  Lady Christl were rubbish and will not be grown again as I was not alone in having a very poor yield and performance.
Pentland Javelin were excellent as were Maris Peer.
Of the main crops, Desiree performed very well again and I was happy with my King Edward.
I will also continue with Blue Danube, which grows into a beautiful plant and flowers and makes excellent saute! 
Charlotte grown in bags on the patio were disappointing so the container strategy needs to be reviewed.

[DD.]

Just dug up some "Picasso" - getting up to 17 decent size spuds on some roots. When I tried them before the slugs loved them, but we've had a dryish summer following a hard winter and it appears to have done the slugs a lot of no good.

[Thrift]

I only grew Orla earlies this year but was delighted, as ever. A good yield and some are still in the ground and are perfect.

[DD.]

Highly delighted with the Picasso, really heavy crop of good size spuds, most of them bakers.

For the second year running to to circumstances I didn't get around to planting until May (12th), it's not worth the panic everyone seems to be in to get them in, then start worrying about frosts!

[Plot 6B]

Earlies;  Red Duke Of York, Charlotte. Kestral
Lates;    Maris Piper, Desiree, Pentland Crown.

Very pleased with all the lates and I now have six sacks to tide me over the Winter.