[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

So, I have bought some SM from T&M, and was wondering how good they really are, for :-

1) blight resistance - I've heard they are very good, but not resistant?

2) taste, are they worth growing for anything other than blight resistance?

3) best for mash, chips, roasting etc....

Thank you very much!

[Chrysalis]

We've had them for two years now.I love the taste, but I know others are a bit disappointed. V.good for anti-blight, keep well, and I think they make great chips.  Not doing maincrop this year, but will miss 'em.

[sowitgrowit]

Still got dozens and dozens stored. Love them to bits. Drought resistant, blight resistant (mine do get blight towards the end, but not badly and they certainly stand a lot longer than "normal" spuds).

I'll find a photo of them next to blighted potatoes if I can, from my first year growing.

[Yorkie]

Compared to many other varieties, their taste can be rather uninspiring.

But some spuds, as opposed to no spuds, in a blight-ridden year is a bonus!

[DD.]

1) blight resistance - I've heard they are very good, but not resistant?

I think you mean blight proof as your question. No spud is, but they are very, very resistant.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Indeed DD.

I've never been very good at explaining myself .....

[blackberryjam]

Grew them last year, I was disappointed as  I didn't get much from them, but I found out later that potatoes had been planted in the same area the year before, i had a lot of volunteers come through which may of had something to do with the yield.
I found they were better roasted . Will probably try them again this year, as they do have good slug resistance.

[4 Seasons]

Horrible potato. I grow my spuds for taste not for blight resistance as I can't see the point of eating something that has managed to get through the blight period but tastes like cardboard. I'd rather use my garden space to grow the varieties that I like and if they don't make it through then I would prefer to buy a more tasty spud from the supermarket. It's a calculated gamble but one I make easily now that I have had experience of the 'oribble things.

Well you did ask 

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

That's fine 4 Seasons.

I wanted honest answers.

So, they are that bad ?

[4 Seasons]

Well I suppose if you mash them with loads of milk and butter and add a load of pepper or something else to your liking then they would be acceptable but the wife won't let me mess them about like that so spuds in our house have to taste good without the alchemy. I'm not allowed chips either so they might be alright fried, you will find out by experience.
The year I grew them they missed out on the worst of the blight but some managed to have hollow centres and some had Spraing so I wasn't best pleased.

[3 allotments]

So, I have bought some SM from T&M, and was wondering how good they really are, for :-

1) blight resistance - I've heard they are very good, but not resistant?

2) taste, are they worth growing for anything other than blight resistance?

3) best for mash, chips, roasting etc....

Thank you very much!

Sarpo Mira seed potatoes are the most blight resistant potato variety available in the UK. Certainly when I grew them in my garden for the first time this year, they never needed spraying for blight. The haulms were infected with blight but they have still produced blight free tubers on the 12th of October.  Very impressive.
 
Sarpo Mira tubers have a dry, floury texture which are best suited to roasting and chipping. I would also use them as a baking potato and pop them in he microwave for a quick meal.
 
They seem to be free of any slug damage and only show small signs of common scab on the skin.
http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/buy-seed-potatoes/sarpo-mira-seed-potatoes

[divernon]

I tried Sarpo Mira for the first time this year after last year's loss of main crop to blight. I had a heavy crop of large, dense, solid potatoes with no blight.

They have stored very well and are best for chips or roasting. The chips and roasties are more solid than with other potatoes and the taste is not quite as good as some others. I will grow them again as an insurance against blight, but only a third of last year's area.

[realfood]

Blight, slug, disease resistant, big crops and they have a strong, earthy taste. Well worth growing. They tend to be floury so I always microwave them.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Microwave them for jackets?

[DD.]

A common practice in this household.

The skins tend not to be as crispy, but this is not necessarily a bad thing with Sarpo Mira! I always grow some as I'm guaranteed a slug free crop even under severe blight conditions.