royal jersey potatoes

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by paul777, Feb 7, 2011.

  1. paul777

    paul777 Gardener

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    hi all
    can you buy jersey royal seed potatoes ?
    thank you paul
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Yes, "International Kidney" (can't call them "Jersey Royals" unless they were grown on Jersey, but its the same spud)

    But don't bother because you will be disappointed by the flavour, and the way that they cook. It works in Jersey because of a combination of climate, soil and the seaweed they harvest from the beach and then put on the land.

    If you are looking for a seed potato here's a list of favourites that I accumulated from various Polls on gardening forums (they are roughly in order of peoples preferences, the ones I grow are in bold):

    First early: Lady Christl, Pentland Javelin, Red Duke of York, Rocket, Arran Pilot
    Second early: Charlotte, Kestrel, Maris Peer
    Main: Desiree, King Edward, Cara, Maris Piper, Pink Fir Apple, Picasso
     
  3. Steve R

    Steve R Soil Furtler

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    I would beg to differ on that and think the taste is excellent, and the cooking of them is down to the cook...not the product itself. I've doubled the ammount of Int Kid I willl grow this year due to not having enough last year. But thats just my opinion of course.

    Incidentally, Pink Fir Apples are my second choice and King Edward the third, both maincrop but last year I was pulling the PFA early due to running out of the Int Kids

    Steve...:)
     
  4. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Yes, I am sure that for any variety there are "fans" - otherwise the seed companies would stop producing them for sure! - I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

    My post is based on polls that I have collated over the years from various forums with people saying what they like, and what they have grown that they don't like, and Internetional Kidney seems to come up with a lot of dis-likers (well, maybe people disspointed compared to their expectations) and relatively few likers. Its just a small-sample straw-poll though.

    But, if the O/P wants to give "Jersey Royals" a try then "International Kidney" is the one the variety they need to plant :thumb:
     
  5. Steve R

    Steve R Soil Furtler

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    If you compare International Kidney with Jersey Royals, then there is no comparison..the Jersey's win hands down every time because of how you have already documented, how they are grown. I wonder if poll answers reflect that difference and hence then, dissapointment in the Int Kid?

    Steve...:)
     
  6. Alice

    Alice Gardener

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    I've grown International Kidney, Paul, and they were a nice potato.
    Not just the same flavour as Jersey Royal, but still worth growing.
     
  7. Steve R

    Steve R Soil Furtler

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    I'm six miles from the coast here, I wonder if I should collect some seaweed and try that as a mulch on some of mine this year, what do you think?

    Steve...:)
     
  8. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I think that is entirely likely!

    My advice to newbies is to try to find somewhere that sells seed potatoes loose, and then buy just a few of each variety that you think you might like, grow them and then have a tasting test and make some decisions for the next year.

    Or grow mostly what you know you like, and try just a few of different varieties - to try to find things that you then discover you prefer.

    I'd like to try that with Sweetcorn, but the cross pollination issue is stopping me :(


    [hr]
    Let us know how it goes, and the Brand Name you come up with when you start marketing them :heehee:
     
  9. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    I was just going to suggest that, and growing them undercover, to make up for not being in jersey.

    Don't forget to hose the seaweed down first. Salt is probably not good for spuds till they are cooked.




    [hr]
    Can I just add that if you plant Charlotte again in August, you can be eating new potatoes for Christmas Dinner. Well, I would have, but I thought the blight had destroyed them, only dug them up a few days ago.
     
  10. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    They may be harbouring Blight of course Ziggy - fine to eat, but don't plant them and rogue out any volunteers you see if you have Blight last year.

    I grow my Winter spuds in bags, and I don't leave them outside so they don't get rain [which might be carrying Blight spores] on the leaves in late Summer / Autumn. However,t hat means there is a reasonable amount of "faffing" involved.
     
  11. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    There were only a few Kristen, pic on this resurected thread,

    http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/Thread-Planting-potatoes.html

    I had to go back & have a look, as i'd forgotten what variety i'd sown:DOH: You can see i've even got the tinies out.

    Will be planting a lot more of them this season, they were very nice. In fact, i'll take a leaf out of Steves book & fill a trench full of seaweed to plant them on.:thumbsup:
     
  12. paul777

    paul777 Gardener

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    thank you all for your replys

    do you ALL think that the charlotte is best one to grow ?

    thank you paul
     
  13. Steve R

    Steve R Soil Furtler

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    I've never grown it myself, as I've never been impressed enough with shop bought ones.

    Steve...:)
     
  14. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    No, one member threw them away. I think flavour depends on the richness of the soil. The best ones i've had were random ones that grew in the compost heap.

    Flavour wise, you can't beat punk fir apples, but they are not a first early, which is what you need for an august sowing for new spuds at christmas.
     
  15. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    If I only grew one then ... Yes!

    But that's me. From all of the threads I have read across several forums I conclude it is pretty popular ... but I also conclude that not every one agrees!

    People's preference for Spud varieties depends on taste, of course, but also their soil conditions - which effect flavour and texture, and thus your soil may be better suited to something else.

    My recommendation would be to see if you can find somewhere locally that sells seed potatoes loose - you can then buy a few of several different varieties, and plant them side-by-side and decide which you like the most - and then grow that next year.

    Charlotte is a Second Early - so you may want a First Early for the earliest of New Potatoes, and you may want a Salad Potatoes - like Pink Fir Apple as Ziggy recommended.

    (Although I disagree with Ziggy that you need First Early for Christmas "New Potatoes", I grow Charlotte for Xmas because we like its taste - there is plenty of "growing season" between August and Xmas, but I'm not sure that this thread is about Xmas Spuds at all?
     
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