[Y.E.A.H]

Hi All,

i need some advice please, i can't decide weather to get Desiree potato or Red Duke of York potato, and i don't want to have to buy both. i know Desiree is meant to keep well and taste great but Red Duke of York has stunning colour.
hope you kind fellows can help me  

many thanks

bigB

[Aunt Sally]

I've still got over half a sack of Desiree from last years crop still in perfect condition.  With those and the Cara I'll have enough until my first earlies are ready.

So if it's a  Red you want - Desiree !

[shokkyy]

I tried RDY last year and didn't like them very much. The trouble is they're a first early so I was growing them as new spuds, and the skin just isn't quite right for new spuds, wrong colour and a bit too thick. I didn't grow any into bigger sizes, but as small new spuds I don't rate them.

[DD.]

As shokkyy as brought up, one is a first early, not suitable for storing, the other is a maincrop that is. They are chalk & cheese.

It's not a choice between one or the other as like for like, you and only you can make the decision between a "new" potato or a maincrop.

[TheSpartacat]

Umm... I know I'm bucking the trend here, but I left some of my red duke of york growing longer because i read you could lift them v early as a first early or let grow on as a "general purpose potato"
(I think it was this site:
http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Seed_Potatoes_1st_Early.html    )

And I finished the last of the ones i'd grown on longer only THIS week (apart from some marbles!). They were holding up better than the maincrop i had stored (Kerr Pink!), they had grown to a decent side, and did taste different from the ones i'd dug up early in the season. More floury/drier to my taste?

I tried RDY last year and didn't like them very much. The trouble is they're a first early so I was growing them as new spuds, and the skin just isn't quite right for new spuds, wrong colour and a bit too thick. I didn't grow any into bigger sizes, but as small new spuds I don't rate them.

Perhaps they were starting to go over into "general purpose potato" when you dug them up?
i've not grown desiree before, so can't comment on them.... but red duke of york are on my list to grow again this year. Was very happy with them overall.

[Y.E.A.H]

thank you for all the info everyone 

one is a first early, not suitable for storing, the other is a maincrop that is...

thanks DD, i didn't know that as it didn't say in the description of the potatoes 

[andtiggertoo]

one year I grew about 5 different types of potato and red duke of york were the only ones that were not riddled with snail or wireworm holes. So, good on pest resistance but maybe because they weren't as appetising !! I remember them being a bit on the floury side, but OK otherwise.

I grew them again last year and the kids shrieked with delight as we dug them up - they weren't expecting the scarlet colour of the skins. I just love digging up the spuds, it's like buried treasure.