Seed potatoes

Can anyone advise me on seed potatoes.

I'm getting my own this year (my dad stuck a load in last year with mixed results) and would like some advice on which variety to go for. When do I need to plant them?

I am only growing early crop this year and love the new potato taste fresh from the garden. Last years ( I have no idea what variety they were, worryingly nor does my dad) were VERY floury! So I would like to avoid that this year.

 

Everyone has their favorite spud....mine without a doubt is charlotte. My favorite varity of every other fruit and veg is based on taste....but I have tasted better than chalotte..(kerrs pink on tast alone) but charlotte does taste great and is wonderful to grow. Its a second early type but...and this is the best thing, it can be used as a main and keeps in the ground for months. I first discovered this trait as a student at myerscough college, for logistical reasons the spud had not been harvested untill jan the following year, as you would expect all the spuds had been ravaged by slugs in this time, the chalotte were untouched, in subsequent years I have seen this over and over together with a fairly good resistance to blight. Its a waxy spud ideal for everything bar chipping.

 

Sounds wonderful. I will add them to my shortlist! Do I need to. Prepare the ground with manure? O was planning on doing this in my entire veg bed. But I am not sure where to get it.

 

When I first ever started growing vegetables, I made the fatal mistake of putting manure on all of my veg patch. I realised that I should not of put it where I was growing root veg such as potatoes. The reason is that it encouraged a lot of slugs, which in turn damaged a lot of my potato harvest. I don't put anything in my potato plot now except give the soil a good dig & clear weeds & keep weeds down. But I do give the potato plants a feed when they have put on good growth.

 

Brilliant tip thankyou!!!!!!!!!!

 

Just to add to the good advice you have already had, there is an article in today's Teegraph Gardening section, a link here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardenin...ow-to-grow-chitting-and-forcing-potatoes.html
If the link doesn't work try copying and pasting.

 

im going to be contradictoty which might not help but i add lots of manure to spuds. For my money tney love organic matter id rather risk the slugs and put them in tne soil they like.

 

Yeah, got to agree spuds like manure, just cant get enough where I am.
The usual is that spuds like slightly acid soil and are not considered root crops in the same way as parsnips carrots etc.

Slugs can be a problem, in certain conditions, but its not a problem I've found once the ground becomes cultivated, I dont think manure on its own will attract slugs, they are probably there already.

 

Hmm... lots to ponder about manure. I watched country file tonight an# they showed sea weed being used, apparently perfect for spider. They showed a beach in jersey where people take bucketfulls for their gardens.

Any opinions?

 

Just bought some foremost and Desiree. 1st time gardener, so at £2 for a kilo, I won't be wasting to much money.

Ps, have just picked up 100ft of scaffold boards, mostly 5-6ft each, more than enough for 3 10x4ft beds with a bit of splicing. £20 the lot.