[matron]

Like all recent posters I'm thinking about next year.  Got wiped out by blight last year on an ambitious purchase of Pink Fir Apple purchased from Scotland but did manage a few Arran Pillots this year.  Most were in grow bags in the green house and yields were disappointing especially as I spent a fortune on potato compost.  The best results were the few extras that I planted outside.  However they didn't seem to have that lovely earthy taste of new potatoes that I  remember from (too) long ago - perhaps it is just nostalgia! I do wonder how much is to do with the soil composition and how much with the variety?  Do any of you superbrains out there have any evidence (or theories) on this?

Looks as is Charlottes are a good early crop.  Blight seems particularly rampant here in Devon so I am avaoiding any of the later varieties. Will let you know next summer how they do, but no more potato barrels for me.

I would put it down to soil. I have planted the same varieties and rotated them around our plot and OH will say 'these don't taste as nice as last year' and I point out they are the same variety. I have also noticed over the last four years that one bed seems to grow them much better than another.
Not a scientific answer I am afraid - more observation.

[mumofstig]

You could do a soil test and find out if that bed has more of 'something' than the other beds, that's if you can really be bovvered  It could be something that's easy to alter...you never know

[matron]

As we will be using the 'not so good' bed next year thought we would put loads of manure on it and see. 

[mad mark]

Spuds in Bakewell were good for me though the best were the ones I did in the ground. I did do some in bags but they were not too productive. All the rain helped I think.......no blight or nasties invaded mine. Will do more in the ground next year and skip the black bags.
 

[johnfh]

Thanks matron and others for your interest.  I'll just keep taking the pills!

[paxo]

Great harvest this year like always, 200kg of spuds!!

[DD.]

That doesn't tell us a lot apart from the weight.

Number of plants, variety etc. would help us a lot.

[paxo]

That doesn't tell us a lot apart from the weight.

Number of plants, variety etc. would help us a lot.

Wilja, no slug. no worm, no scab, no blight, number of plants plenty (not in the habit of counting them)

[DD.]

Doesn't help judge the yield then, does it?

[Aunt Sally]

200kg Wilja ....  number of plants plenty (not in the habit of counting them)

That's not a very good crop for a 10 acre field Paxo 

[paxo]

Doesn't help judge the yield then, does it?

Good idea this.  Our results so far:

First - Rocket - Good yield of potatoes with hardly any slug holes.
First - Foremost - Larger size potatoes and higher yields only a few with slug holes.
Salad - Charlotte - High yield of good sized salad potatoes with no slug holes.
Second - Kestrel - Reasonable yield of average size potatoes - hardly any slug holes.
Mains - Desiree - TBA.
Mains - Maris Piper - TBA (was disappointing last year).
Mains - Cara - High yield of average size, no slug holes.

Sandy soil, slugs not a problem
Mimi - 1st early - quite small yield but small, pink, DELICIOUS salad potatoes
Charlotte - 2nd early - very large yield but got a bit bored with them eventually
Anya - 2nd early - lovely, waxy texture and nutty taste
Sarpo Mira - maincrop - one of the blight resistant varieties but VERY DISAPPOINTING. Yield pretty good but tough, hard skins and very dry flesh. Don't work for baking or roasting.

Neither do these posts but I don't see any posts from yourself saying otherwise. Am I any different?

[paxo]

200kg Wilja ....  number of plants plenty (not in the habit of counting them)

That's not a very good crop for a 10 acre field Paxo 

Wow I have a mod and an admin having a go and only after 2 posts, hello and welcome springs to mind.

Guess I will find the inglenook a warmer place to spend my nights from now on.

[DD.]

You may not have noticed, but at least the posters you quoted took the trouble to list the varieties of potatoes & made individual comments against each variety.

A little different to "I dug up 10 sacks of spuds".

You are very welcome to post here, but we do like the posts to be construtive and add a something informative to the threads.

[Paul Plots]

200kg Wilja ....  number of plants plenty (not in the habit of counting them)

That's not a very good crop for a 10 acre field Paxo 

Wow I have a mod and an admin having a go and only after 2 posts, hello and welcome springs to mind.

Guess I will find the inglenook a warmer place to spend my nights from now on.

Keep posting Paxo....
               
Periodically I put my size "quite big" foot in it (not that I actually think you have) but I sometimes unintentionally cause a grumble... none of us are perfect and I'm sure your posts will be welcomed. 

[Aunt Sally]

Wow I have a mod and an admin having a go and only after 2 posts, hello and welcome springs to mind.

Guess I will find the inglenook a warmer place to spend my nights from now on.

   Don't be so touchy sweetie they're only potatoes   I was just pulling your leg.  You seem very proud of them so it would be nice to know if it was a good return for the crop!

In the end of one of my potato rows I planted 4 pink fir apples and they yielded 10kg of delicious tiny potatoes, now I call that a good return