Kitchen Garden Forum

Has anybody tried Elfe potatoes? They are available in Lidl - and I think possibly in Morrisons and M&S.

Possibly the best culinary potato I have ever come across. They are medium-sized tubers with a creamy yellow flesh. You can boil, mash or bake them. As bakes potatoes they are out of this world and I like them boiled, too.

They are not yet available as seed potatoes, so I bought a net of Lidl ones and intend planting these to see what sort of crop I get.

Anybody grown them like this? Any idea of whether they will be a success or not?

Hi Barry

I've not seen these but it's hard to get a good baking potato with that crispy skin & fluffy centre - most aren't fluffy inside, and I am buying bakers.

However I have grown store bought potatoes that I liked before without any issues, although I'm very aware of the risks of bringing in diseases etc so grew them in old compost sacks, just to be sure! Crop was fine but they didn't taste the same as the store bought ones unfortunately. Weather & conditions make a big difference.

Westi

Hi Westi,

Jersey Royals being the obvious best example.

I wonder how many of the spuds available in supermarkets are actually grown in the sands of Egypt. A lot I suspect. They import seed potatoes and fertiliser and then use the sand as a clean growing medium. Sadly, while the spuds look great, they don't actually taste of anything. Elfes, though, are something apart. Check them out if you can. I have come across nothing like them and I eat loads of spuds.

The only problem you mught come across is if they have been treated with growth retardant to stop them sending out shoots to extend their shelf life.

They don't seem to do it so much now, so just try chitting a few and see if they sprout. They sound worth a try.

If you want a real treat you should try a combination of the potato that Barry is asking about with one called Sayftee

Can't go wrong with a bit of Elfe and Sayftee at meal times.

Moderator looks for excommunication button, can't find one!

I used to have some of these in working order, they no longer are working so as Peter requests (get it) here is a ex communication button

From what I can read of these Elfe potatoes they seem to be attributed on UK based pages to the large grower of potatoes, Albert Bartlett.
As they are one of the biggest potato producers I'm guessing it is they who supply the supermarkets with this variety.
Shown on some sites as being a good baking potato.

As yet not found anyone who supplies it as part of their seed potato range.

Haven't got any room to try any extras this year, potato bed is now fully planted

I wasn't going to grow spuds again, even though last seasons PFA were ok I had the odd one that tasted horrible and I just don't get through enough to warrant growing them. Although, I'm such a skinflint I planted six potato tubers that had sprouted rather than compost them. They were Maris piper (I think) and quite big. Now I'm thinking its a waste of good ground and have read I'm risking introducing disease by planting none certified potatoes.

They would say that, wouldn't they ?

I'm in my fourth season of planting garlic from garlic I grew, the first season was hit by a lot of rot though that wasn't introduced by garlic.

Back to the spuds, we had two rainy days last season and my whole crop went black so I cut the foliage off and the spuds were fine.

Most of the disease seems to be in the soil already or in the air, why fork out for seed potatoes.

Ricard with an H wrote: .......... Now I'm thinking its a waste of good ground and have read I'm risking introducing disease by planting none certified potatoes.
They would say that, wouldn't they ?
Back to the spuds, we had two rainy days last season and my whole crop went black so I cut the foliage off and the spuds were fine.
Most of the disease seems to be in the soil already or in the air, why fork out for seed potatoes.

I always look for the certification, If they do not show details of their certification I simply do not buy them. From what history tells us I would not like to see a repeat of the 1840's

I really do not understand why people refer to the cost of seed potatoes as if they are expensive. Subject to where I get mine from I pay anything between 11p > 18p per potato and last year, subject to type / variety, got 2lb > 4.5lb per plant on average at harvest. A pretty reasonable return I think on what was a poor year. Normally harvest is better.
If I chose smaller size seed potatoes my costs would be even less, probably without much difference in yield
Hardly a fortune as outlay for peace of mind that I am reducing the risk of spreading disease.

Could the same argument be used against the need for crop rotation. I don't think that saying "most of the disease is already in the soil or air" would hold ground as a reason for not rotating.

Pa Snip wrote:Hardly a fortune as outlay for peace of mind that I am reducing the risk of spreading disease.

Could the same argument be used against the need for crop rotation. I don't think that saying "most of the disease is already in the soil or air" would hold ground as a reason for not rotating.

Ok, I got it.

And why I keep reminding you-all that I'm still very much an apprentice, face-face communication is easier when a raised eyebrow can turn a statement into a question. Not so easy with text and even though its doo-able you do have to be careful.

Spot on Richard

It is all too easy to misinterpret the intended intonation in the written word.

You are certainly not the only one who classes themselves as an apprentice, I'm in the same class and rely on tutorship in many aspects from fellow members

Ok I got it.

These are now commercially available: from Tuckers mail order down in Devon.

I shall be growing them this coming season.

Albert Bartlett are based near me in Brechin, I'll have a word with the lads when I'm next fishing down there, must admit I've not heard of them, but they'll be grown in the Angus soil rather than desert sands mind.