[Flo_Nettle]

Hello everyone

I'm new around here and am a grower of vegetables on a reasonably small veggie patch in Norfolk. I started as a beginner 10 years ago and now enjoy the reliabilty of having my "favourites" under my belt and the confidence to try a few new things each year. I dug up a flower bed this year to try some squash and I'm loving watching them grow before my very eyes!

But I've had a huge disappointment with my potatoes this year as every one is floury. Has anyone any suggestions why that might be?

I grew Home Guard and International Kidney. (I've not grown either before) Both grew heartily and happily but without flowers. The crop however is good. The potatoes look beautiful, they are clean, well sized and plentiful.

But as soon as they hit the pan they disintegrate. They seem to aquire a second skin in the water which then disolves. I feel quite deprived of any new potatoes this year! Both crops are the same, in fact its hard to tell the two appart.

I've heard two other people say they've had the same. They'd grown different varieties and each live about 15 miles from me. Is there something in the air?!

Hope you can help

[SnooziSuzi]

Hi Flo_nettle,  welcome to the forums.

I think (and I may be proven wrong) that the flouryness of a spud is down to it's type not the conditions that it's grown in.

do you have any potato days in your area early in the year?  they can help you decide which one's you choose to grow and which one's you don't?

[Flo_Nettle]

Hi SS and thanks for the welcome

Strangly enough I did buy at a potato weekend and chose these varieties by their descriptions.  International Kidney is the Jersey Royal - early and waxy.  Home Guard is also a first early and a reliable salad potato.  

But they are both floury as are my friends' Pentland.  All a complete mystery and sending me off to the farm shop at the weekend to but new potaotes as I'm feeling very left out!  

Flo

[SnooziSuzi]

someone else has posted a similar post... take a look... I told you I'd be proven wrong!  

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=21512&highlight=

[Rampant_Weasel]

my second earlies are the best potatoes ive ever had...variety is nadine, very waxy very delicous. the ones im digging now are as waxy as the first lot i dug.not going to grow any other 2nd early i`m so impressed
not sure about first early tho still experimenting.

try searching thru this site when deciding for next year

http://www.britishpotatoes.co.uk/potato-varieties/#newpotatoes

[Aunt Sally]

Oooo... thanks for that information.  I'll keep that variety in mind for next year  

[Oscar Too]

We had this problem last year with everything except our Anya.  Horrid, nasty potatoes that turn to much instantly.  I think the weather is to blame - everything else was fine.  I've grown far fewer this year.

[Jen]

i couldn't agree more...nadine are fab spuds, keep their shape
and veeeery tasty, second year of growing them.
pentland javelin are the same but a bit earlier

jen   :flower: