What Potatoes to Grow. How to select seed potato varieties.
81Want to know what type of potato to grow?
There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes.
(Not all of them are available.)
Sources disagree on exactly how many there are.
In the UK eighty varieties are grown commercially.
You will find that there are many varieties of seed potato availble for you to grow your own.
Why so many?
What are the differences?
Apart from the different varieties of potato having different:
disease resistance and soil preferences
Different varieties of potato are sold in different countries.
I am from the UK so my named references to varieties of potato refer to the ones available and grown in the UK.
Why so many to choose from? One answer is the taste.
Different varieties of potatoes differ in flavour.
The supermarkets offers a choice of potatoes but the person who grows their own has a wider range of flavours to choose from than the commercial varieties that are available in the supermarkets.
The taste of the potato varies not just because of the varieties; the type of soil it is grown in and the growing conditions will have an effect on the flavour.
The water content and flesh structure of different potatoes makes them cook differently.
What do you want to use your potatoes for?
Some varieties of potato make:
great chips, some varieties boil very well and some mash well, others are excellent roasting potatoes.
Waxy potatoes will work better in salads than floury potatoes do.
First Early, Second Early and Maincrop Potatoes.
Potatoes are classified according to when they are harvested.
The three main groups of potatoes are:
'first early', 'second early' and 'maincrop'.
First early potato varieties are planted in March, grow rapidly and produce moderate crops of small potatoes in June or July before potato blight can take hold.
Second early potatoes are planted about a month later and are lifted in July or August, producing larger harvests.
Maincrop potatoes produce the biggest crops, but take the longest to grow.
They are planted in April, ready for lifting in August for immediate consumption,
or they can be left until September or October before they are lifted for winter storage.
'Maincrop' potatoes are the ones most susceptible to potato blight.
What to grow ...
What the different groups mean...
Of the different potato varieties available to you how do you know which to grow?.
As stated above - seed potatoes are described as:
early, second early and maincrop seed potatoes
(earlies, second earlies and maincrop)
This gives an indication of when they crop/are ready to be dug up -
because the planting and cropping times vary.
If you're short of space then earlies are probably the best choice.
Earlies are also less likely to encounter pest and other problems as they're lifted so much earlier in the year.
Also as you dig the earlies up earlier in the growing season than the second earlies or maincrops you can raise a second crop (of something other than potatoes) in the empty patch where you have dug up the potatoes.
You must not replant potoatoes in the same patch as you will have an increased risk of potato diseases spreading.
Second earlies take 16 to 17 weeks to mature after planting.
You should be able to harvest them from very late June through to the start of August.
Maincrops are ready 18 to 20 weeks after planting.
They can be lifted usually from July through to October.
Maincrops take up the most space in the garden, and also use the space/occupy the land in the summer when you could be growing other crops.
However maincrop seed potatoes tend to be the best varieties to grow if you want potatoes for storage.
When selecting a potato variety consider the planting and harvest times.
Harvesting Times.
Potatoes should be ready for lifting from June until September, exactly when will depend on the varieties and the growing conditions.
Earlies can be lifted and eaten as soon as they're ready.
This will be when above-ground growth is still green, and usually as soon as the flowers open.
Second and maincrop varieties can be kept in the ground longer, possibly until September, even when the above-ground growth may well be looking past its best.
peeled these potatoes reveal examples of colour variation
cooked mashed potatoes.
How to select the right variety of seed potato ...
Decide on these factors ...
- what you want to use them for mostly i.e. chips,roast, baking, mash, salad.
- when you want to plant and harvest them... first earlies, second earlies, maincrops.
- what type of soil/conditions you will be growing them in... you may find a variety that grows well on a sandy soil does not do so well in a clay soil.
- where you will plant them in your vegetable garden or allotment- will help decide on first earlies, second earlies, maincrops. You will need to think about crop rotation and how much space you have.
- if you want spring new potatoes while they are still expensive in the shops you need first earlies.
- if you want potatoes to store and use later in the year you want a maincrop variety.
- Taste, taste, texture, preference... you might want a novelty factor or even a heritage variety to be 'different' for a change... the sort that cost more to buy in the shops... such as Pink Fir Apple.
- Disease resistance ... if you know you might get a certain type of problem in your soil pick a suitably 'resistant ' variety.
Other factors to consider when picking a variety of potato
Some varieties disintegrate when cooked.
Some varieties are mealy when cooked.
Cooked the flesh colour of potatoes is described as white, cream , light yellow or yellow .
Freedom from blackening after cooking.
Diseases and pests resistance.
Why Seed Potatoes from an acredited supplier are the best option...
The Reason why Planting Supermarket Potatoes is not a good idea.
You could plant potatoes that your bought from a supermarket in your vegetable garden/allotment and the chances are you would produce a crop of potatoes from them. However there are good reasons why people who want to grow potatoes buy seed potatoes that are produced by suppliers especially for growing in your vegetable garden or allotment.
The main one is diseases - if you plant supermarket potatoes and unknown to you they have a potato disease you will not only lose the chance of growing a your own potatoes that year you may be infecting the soil with a potato disease... and possibly affect any nearby crops of potatoes that are growing.
The Pink Fir Apple Potato
Easiest Way to select a variety that will grow well...
The easiest way is to find out what varieties are popular in you area... people will tell you what they grow and usually why. This is a good starting point.
Look at the seed catalogues and at on-line suppliers of seed potatoes - often they will have useful information on their pages about what to choose.
Be prepared to go through a process of trial and error to find potatoes that grow well in your type of soil and also that suit your culinary tastes.
The first year I grew potatoes I was charmed by the idea of growing Pink Fir Apple seed potatoes and they were a success at the table being good with salads and I liked them roasted. However the work involved in planting and harvesting them and also their awkward though novel shapes ... (I do not attempt to peel them before cooking them )- makes me hesitant to grow them in future... but never say never.. I might give them another try.
My favorite potato so far because it suits my sandy soil and we like the texture and taste is Pentland Javelin and I have grown this one with success in 2008 and 2009... it will also be on my list for seed potatoes next spring.
One variety I hope to try this year...
A variety I am hoping to grow for the first time this spring is 'Stemster' which is a drought-tolerant maincrop potato which has a reddish skin and yellow flesh. It is said to be good for boiling, mashing,roasting, chipping and baking. So it sounds like a good 'all rounder' but another factor is it is also said to produce large yields and shows a good resistance to golden eelworm. Bet they sell out of this one quickly.
added February I was unable to buy this variety so have bought my favorite Pentland Javelin for the first early seed potatoes they are now chitting prior to planting.
Below is a link on how to chit seed potatoes prior to planting....
- How To Chit Potatoes
Seed Potatoes. To chit or not? Once you have bought your seed potatoes you need to decide if you are going to chit them or not. Chitting potatoes is a method of starting them into growth before you...
More information about growing potatoes will be added and links put from this page... below are links to other pages about growing vegetables...
more pages on growing your own potatoes...
- How To Chit Potatoes
Seed Potatoes. To chit or not? Once you have bought your seed potatoes you need to decide if you are going to chit them or not. Chitting potatoes is a method of starting them into growth before you... - Potatoes. Furtling your New Potatoes.
In earlier pages I have explained how to select the right variety of seed potatoes to plant, how to chit your seed potatoes i.e. start them into growth before planting them. Here I am going to tell you how to... - Which Potatoes to Grow. Varieties.
What Potato Varieties to Grow? How to choose... The easiest way to select/decide what potato varieites to buy and grow - is to ask your self ... three questions How? Where? When? If you want a quick...
A link to a database of potato varieties
CommentsLoading...
I was not aware that different kinds of potatoes have different uses. Your hub has helped me gain some useful information. Thanks for sharing.
You know your taters! I know them better now. I was surprised know that potatoes were from South America and that they have so many kinds there. Thanks
hi itakins thanks for reading and leaving a comment - I've corrected an error in this hub -thanks, wireworm was the term I was looking for.
I've read and found that wireworm attacks potatoes that are planted in soil that was pasture/grassland prior to being dug over. Lots of people use potatoes as a first crop on neglected allotments - it is beneficial for several reasons, I think I will do another hub on that soon.
Re. the 'trend to fill uncultivated land with potatoes' to clear the wireworms it might work but I think they would attack the spuds but I guess earlies would suffer less. I've had problems with wireworm as my plot was grass,weeds and brambles before I cleared it.
I know a green crop that is said to clear wireworm from the soil and I am trying it at the allotment. It will take a while to find out because of crop rotation. I will let you know if it works. Where I live the seed potatoes would always come from higher ground - it is flat around here. I have only ever planted seed potatoes that are from the big companies. Nice to hear from you. Happy New Year to you itakins.
Until I grew potatoes I only knew the names of the ones sold in the supermarket - I never knew there were so many or their differences. The best thing about growing your own potatoes is the taste they have a much better flavour than supermarket potatoes.
Hi Micky Dee - thank you for reading and leaving a comment.
Thanks also Hussains for leaving a comment and reading.
Excellent overview of potato varieties! Hope it inspires more to grow their own potatoes.
Excellent and very useful article for anyone considering gorwing their own spuds. My personal favourites are Jersey Royals as they have the best flavour of all (a first early/new potato variety).
Jerilee Wei thank you for your comment, I think that anyone who grows their own potatoes will be amazed how tasty they are.
Mistyhorizon thank you -The first potatoes of the season are a great treat and I agree Jersey Royals are usually one of the first new potatoes and they have an excellent flavour and texture.
hi itakins in answer to your question - I found this on a website called UK Agriculture: "As potatoes are susceptible to viral diseases which are spread by aphids, seed potatoes are usually sourced from higher ground in the north of the country where aphids are uncommon". That suggests that the person was accurate in what they told you.
Interestingly I've often noticed how things other people tell me about growing things - that sound like 'folk lore' are often based on facts and have proved to be useful information. Thanks.
Hi 2uesday-
Thanks for searching -it's true ,so many of the old tips are valuable -even if we don't fully understand them! Usually there was a good solid reason for them,which people had learned through trial and error.
I spent years trying to increase 'my' butterfly population with all sorts of attractive plants-it took a little old magazine to make me realise I was not providing proper breeding ground-so simple- like nettles ,nasturtiums etc-since I did that ,I have so many butterflies- How I love them!!
2uesday-
The planting of potatoes to clear wireworm was done ,I am told,specifically for that purpose,and usually afterwards the potatoes were burnt-I assume because composting would spread the problem-and many of the potatoes were too badly damaged by the worms!!
Thanks 2uesday I've always found potatoes confusing, but you've made it clearer-good hub
I never knew that itakins - but my potatoes at the allotment have suffered from wireworm but not too badly. Wireworm are supposed to be a problem when you plant potatoes were it was grass land before. Hopefully once all the plot is cultivated the problem will end; I have planted green manure - mustard where the potatoes will be planted this year. The mustard plants are supposed to 'upset the life cycle' of the wireworm. Thanks itakins - your butterfly garden sounds good.
Thanks jayjay, for visiting and leaving a comment. I am hoping to do more hubs on potatoes and vegetables through the growing season.
Very informative article. I am thinking about growing my own potatoes this year and have been looking at the different seed catalogs. My soil has a lot of clay in it, so that is my biggest concern. I might consider growing a smaller crop in a large container.
Hi eatlikenoone last year was not a good year for potato growing here we got a late start with the cold weather lasting late. The actual growing season was either too wet or too dry, even watering at the time when the potatoes needed it did not improve the size of the crop.
You have the opposite problem to me if you have clay soil as mine is sandy and impoverished too, we are busy adding compost to improve it.
The container idea is good and if you plant potatoes in the clay soil select a variety that suits the soil you have. I expect slugs might be a problem so try to use a slug resistant type.
Fist and second earlies suffer from blight less as they are out of the soil quicker so hopefully before the blight has chance to strike. Nice to read your comment.
itakins Level 4 Commenter 2 years ago
Now this is a keeper-bookmarked.
I was told last year by a local grower ,that you should bring seed potatoes down i.e.-buy from a grower on higher ground,less risk of disease-I don't really know why!have you ever heard this?
When I was growing up,there was a great 'trend' to fill uncultivated land and with potatoes for the first year,to clean out the soil of wireworm(I always seem to be talking about worms!!)Do you ever see this done?
Great hub-and great layout.