[LuisMorais]

Hi everyone,

First post here.

We planted "kestrel" potatoes in a very well manured (not fresh, well-rotten cow manure) plot in April. Yesterday, we dug out some plants just to see how they were doing:

a. the yield is ok: 8 potatoes per plant BUT
b. of these 8, two are medium sized potatoes and the others as small as dice
c. We also noticed that these little potatoes are growing closer to the surface,

Now the thing is that the bigger potatoes although look ok, they still taste green, needless to say that the smaller potatoes are purely alkaloidal. At this pace I am not sure I am going to have a consistent crop and am concerned that the small ones will still be green when the bigger ones finally (if ever) get ripe.

Any advice?

Cheers,

Luis

[DD.]

Whilst Kestrel are a second early variety, a lot of people, myself included, grow them to maturity, like a maincrop spud. Maybe this is why! Perhaps you've lifted them too early.

Were they well earthed up?

Welcome to the forums BTW.

[gobs]

Hi, LM!

I'm not sure I know what you mean by tasting green or ripe. If you don't earth potatoes up, they'll be green near the surface.

Apart from all you and DD say, we had a few cold spells, quite some varieties were slower than usual here this year.

I'm uncertain that you can improve yields on a 2nd early any more in this season.

[LuisMorais]

Hey gobs!

Thanks for the reply, sorry for the delay, I tried the other varietes we planted: Duke of York and some other Organic and they are a completely different story, even the tiny ones taste ready, I had quite a few baby (more foetus ) ones straight from the soil with warm beer under the scorching sun of yesterday, the solanine taste is very weak if none. So let'us say that in my experience Kestrel just didn't work.

Cheers,

Luis

[LuisMorais]

Whilst Kestrel are a second early variety, a lot of people, myself included, grow them to maturity, like a maincrop spud. Maybe this is why! Perhaps you've lifted them too early.

Were they well earthed up?

Welcome to the forums BTW.

Hmm, i dont think they have been earthed up well as I can pick quite a few under the mounds of manure on the top soil. So I am not sure if they have matured and gone alkaloidal with the sun (so not return) or they are just green and still will mature.

[Aunt Sally]

Were the Kestrel tubers green coloured form being to near the surface, or physically damaged ?  I can't think how else they would be high in solanine.  Did they taste bitter ?

Kestrel is a "well flavoured" potato, perhaps this is what has confused you !  Just not to your personal taste.