IT IS that exciting time of year again, when gardeners prepare for planting home-grown spuds.

It may be a tad late for ‘chitting’ earlies and getting them ready for planting out either in the ground or in tubs, but most gardens will have been so sodden that it probably won’t have been practically possible because the soil is so cold and wet.

This year I am trying a blend of ancient and modern varieties.

They are all available at Jubilee Garden Centre at Newchurch and most can be found at garden centres and mail order too. I always recommend Jubilee because you can buy in a quantity to suit. Even if you only want one seed spud.

I’ll let you know how these turn out.

Ratte

My all-time French fave. This white-skinned, yellow fleshed, maincrop has a supremely waxy texture and nutty flavour. Wonderful in salads, or boiled with skins. Serve with plenty of butter.

Pink Fir Apple

Another heritage variety, similar to Ratte with a great nutty, earthy, flavour.

Swift

Best known for their ability to produce the earliest crop — within ten weeks. Excellent new potatoes for boiling and salads and good all-round, except for mash.

Home Guard

These first earlies fall into the waxy category. They are creamy coloured with loose, thin skin and creamy flesh.

Dunluce

These are round to oval in shape, their eyes are shallow and the skin is white as is the flesh. Dunluce shows great resistance to all forms of scab — and to disintegration when boiling.

Kestrel

A smooth-skinned potato with purple eyes, making it a winner at many exhibitions. It has an old-fashioned flavour and produces high yields. Rated as one of the best-tasting varieties with excellent uses and disease resistance.

Maris Peer

A traditional favourite among growers. This second early is also suitable for mid-summer planting for late harvest. Lots of uniform small round and oval potatoes with white skin and flesh are produced.

Wilja

Second Early. Wilja is a great choice not only for versatility but also for their great taste, as I found last year. They have a wonderfully earthy taste. A perfect all-rounder.

International Kidney (Jersey Royal)

First introduced in 1879, this is a classic old salad early variety. Harvested early it is a small, firm, waxy potato with sweet flavour with a delicate skin that rarely needs peeling.

 

Expert plantsman giving talk

THE IW Garden Plant Group brings some excellent speakers to the Island — the latest being David Hurrion.
David fell in love with gardening 40 years ago and has a broad wealth of knowledge and a creative design expert exhibited in show gardens including Chelsea.
Plantsman, planthunter, TV and radio personality, David has covered the whole gardening gamut.
His lecture is at Newport Minster Parish Centre, Town Lane, Thursday (March 5). It starts at 7.30pm.