[plopleuk]

hi, i am all ready with my new allotment and want to grow potatoes.
when is the best time to buy the seed potatoes? also which version is pest resistant?

thanks

[arugula]

Hi,

Here is the growing help provided on the main allotment web site:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/potato/

There are also many forum member's potato growing experiences here:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=51.0

You should find all this information quite helpful when making your choice.



Edit spelling.

[DD.]

Also have a look here:

Taterbase

You can do a search for blight, scab & eelworm resistance.

[bigben]

I bought mine from T&M last year but have ordered from JBA this year. A nice site with help on types to grow for different needs etc. I ended up buying more than I needed as they all looked good - have already told friends not to buy seed spuds this year as I will have spares. They are due to arrive this month sometime so I will let you know what service is like.

[aelf]

I was in B&Q on Saturday and their seed potatoes were out. I noticed that some were showing signs of frost damage, probably from the way they were stored over the last month, so I'll be checking mine carefully when I buy them in a few weeks  (not from B&Q tho  )

[binner]

got mine from JBA too after seeing what people had said and the help ian (sorry cant spell it other way lol) gives people on here, mine are paid for but he said on here otherday that he would not send any out untill he was sure they would not get frosted, not like last years i got from suttons that arrived mid december on a day that was -5

[DD.]

I've just posted on the "Suppliers of loose potatoes" thread, what my local nursery hope to have in on Friday. They will post, but I don't know their rates. £1.50 a kilo, £1.25 for over 10kg. This includes the Sarpo varieties which are usually much dearer.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=49027.msg794483#msg794483

[Kristen]

I'm a "satisfied customer" of JBA - have bought from them for the last couple of years.

[digalotty]

got mine from wilko and homebase last year as i like the shopping and sorting as much as the growing ,  it gives me something to do  :happy:

[TheSpartacat]

I'm a "satisfied customer" of JBA - have bought from them for the last couple of years.

Ditto!! Very impressed...

[DD.]

JBA supply our local nusery, (well that's what Iain said a couple of years ago), and I'm fortunate enough to be able to pick them up with no postage.

[purplebean]

I'll be buying mine on 19th February at the West Yorkshire potato day 

[savbo]

there are usually potato days around the country, Hulme Community Garden centre nr Manchester City Centre  host one most years though it's not on their website yet, nice place to pick up some more unusual varieties and chat to experts

[nipper31]

I'm only growing International Kidney this year, ordered from T&M last September. I got 20 tubers for £3.99, which I think is reasonable when you think how much you'd pay for Jersey Royals 

According to the blurb they are marketed as a first early but if harvested as a second early, International Kidney makes a perfect, very waxy, salad potato. They can also be used as a general purpose early maincrop potato producing quite floury large kidney tubers.

So quite good value all round 

[DD.]

I hope you're not expecting the taste of Jersey Royals, their taste is mostly due to the unique soil in Jersey and the tons of Vraic, (seaweed) dug into it over the years.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but if you do a forum seach on International Kidney, you'll find a lot of people have been disappointed.

I'd pay £1.25 at our local nursery for about 20 tubers, roughly a kilo.