[JohnB47]

Hi.

I grew a small quantity of Vanessa and Maris Bard this year, as well as LadyChristl and Kestrel.

I've tried the first three so far and found the LadyChristl very tasty and the other two tasteless. I was speaking to another allotment holder recently, a very experienced one, who said he had grown Vanessa and thought they were quite good.

So, what makes the difference? I thought it was just variety and soil conditions. Perhaps the season makes a difference too?

Of course there is always a differing sense of tase to take into account - but his wife also thought Vanessa were good (and mine agrees with me!).

I'll let you know what I think of the Kestrel soon. They're next to start lifting.

[Rampant_Weasel]

i grew kestrel after alot of ppl said they were great and found them to be so bad i couldnt eat them.i think it must depend on type of soil and soil condition?

[Ivor Backache]

I have always believed that the soil is the determining factor on taste. That is why I always dig trenches and half fill with manure/compost and feed when hoeing up. But earlies are best eaten when egg size -when bigger they seem to lose their taste.
I still have a row of pentland jav. and then I will be lifting kestrel. The problem will be that by then, they will probably be too big and will have lost some of their taste.

[mobilekat]

I was always told that too much water on a crop weakens the flavour- you get bigger but less tasty crops- would this be the same for spuds?

I know with all the salad leaves this year the ones who have had a harder life taste better- where are the greenhouse ones are almost insipid!

[JohnB47]

I have always believed that the soil is the determining factor on taste. That is why I always dig trenches and half fill with manure/compost and feed when hoeing up. But earlies are best eaten when egg size -when bigger they seem to lose their taste.
I still have a row of pentland jav. and then I will be lifting kestrel. The problem will be that by then, they will probably be too big and will have lost some of their taste.

Interestingly one of the reasons I decided to try Kestrel this year was because I'd read that you can lift them as earlies or leave them in the ground to fatten up, without loss of flavour.

Must see if I notice any difference as I work through my 11 or so plants.

[mumofstig]

I bet you get to the end of them before they die back though 

[shokkyy]

I think it's more personal taste than anything. I grew half a doz varieties this year to try and my least favourite was Red Duke of York, which is always listed as good for taste. I just didn't like the skin, which was quite thick and coarse for new spuds, even when very small. My favourite was Rocket, which isn't supposed to be good for taste. But they were beautiful clean, white spuds with hardly any skin at all, which to me is a perfect new spud.

[mumofstig]

My Pentland Javelin were perfect new spuds. They ran out so I started lifting Kestrel 
Not only is the yield lower, the texture is weird. I won't dig any more for a while plus I've now watered them, as the soil is so dry here. See what happens in a week or two

[Redgoat]

I tend to try different varieties each year.

However, I always make room for Desiree amongst the maincrop as I find them to be the tastiest of all.

Personal taste of course.