seed potatoes

Hi all, as a complete novice i have bought some seed potatoes maris piper and desiree.
I've put them into old egg boxes to chit(according to my old veg book) and put them in an unheated greenhouse.Is that correct?.
We have an area at the bottom of our garden approx 25ftx35ft and o/h is going to build me 6 raised beds to grow our veggies etc.I hope my friends on gc will come to my assistance.
Boy oh boy do i need all the help i can get.

 

Hi josephine, I'm sure others will know more than me about this, but they are both maincrop varieties, not really intended for growing early new pots.
They take longer to mature than the "earlies" and as such are usually planted a bit later and dug about september onwards.
There fore I dont think chitting is nesessary

 

Thanks pete,i'll take that on board,can you suggest an earlier variety to try,maybe for salad new potatoes.

 

Not really you need the veg growers in here.
A good LATE salad potato that is the only one I grow these days is "pink fir apple", its a main crop that lasts through the winter, and is very similar to new pots when cooked, its sometimes in supermarkets in limited supply, strange Knobbly tubers.

 

Aaron pilot would be my first choice, not as fast as the newer spuds, but for taste

 

Josephine try this rhs site lots of potato info
http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/documents/Salad_Potato2003.pdf

 

Haven't tried that one markr, sounds like a tasty one. Is it a first early and where do you get it?
Last year I grew Red Duke of York, quite tasty and high yielding and Rocket, disappointing taste and riddled with eelworm.
Looking for a really delicious early salad type, like Jersey Royals. I have heard that Maris Grand are pretty good. Anyone tried them.

 

I'm looking for a waxy potato, can anyone recommend one? I don't like floury ones which is all they seem to sell in the supermarket so I intend to grow some myself :D

 

This seems a reasonable link, Celia - I quite like Charlotte...

http://www.waitrose.com/frontend/popups/rec_gloss.asp?uidstr=272

and here's somewhere to get them...

http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/

 

Blachthorn, I seem to remember that Jersey Royals are sold under the name International Kidney, or something similar.

 

Hi Josephine,

I too bought this potatoe, but I think it's still too early to chit them yet. Look at:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/calendar/calendarmar.asp

Gives year round when to do what and quite interesting. It might be worth protecting your tubers from the frost if they are still in the greenhouse?

On another note I too watched carol kleins veggie programme the other day and I enjoyed it, but I do know what you guys mean.
She took a plant to her friends house, but didnt tel us what it was? they also showed a clip of a pretty yellow flowering big shrub at that point and I didnt know if it was a jerusalem artichoke or the shrub she took to her friend however I have now ordered jerusalem artichoke from a certain organic garden company.
I also wish gardening world was like it was in the good old days where they used to visit real people in real gardens now its all flash glossy design where we see how good the professionals are but I often dont even like what they make and we never learn anything, plus its always the same old plant they put in every year, like cordylines.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get back issues of old gardeners world's?

I really enjoyed it when geoff hamilton used to do them somehow he always seemed to meet really intersting people who were just normal but had lovely gardens.

 

Good link, Val! Thanks!

I don't know about old copies of the magazines, but you may be able to find them via the BBC website. Here's a link to their past factsheets, goes back to 2004....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/tv_and_radio/gardeners_world/factsheet_index.shtml

 

Blackthorn
arron pilot are available from most places that sell seed potatoes, ive seen them at B&Q, wilkinsons and other diy stores.
and there now in a lot more seed catalouges too.
i always try a new sort each year, last year it was swift, they were very fast to crop, and the first root i dug WOW a picture!
but they tasted
arron pilot take about 2 weeks longer than swift, but worth the wait.
also they can be left in the ground for later use as well

 

Thanks pete and Markr. Think I will try the Aaron Pilot and the Red D of Y again.
It is very disappointing to go through the trouble of raising and caring for a crop only to find that the produce is tasteless when you eat it. It could easily put beginners off growing veg. I think seed producers should stop offering very poor tasting veg. They may be early or disease-resistant or look good etc. but if no-one wants to eat them, what is the point?