Kitchen Garden Forum

Ok, this isn't a growing question though that may soon raise it's head as I have a short row of Charlotte looking keen.

This is about some Charlotte I bought in a pre-pack bag from the Co-op and they were grown in the UK, they didn't taste anything like Charlotte but they did look like Charlotte.

A horrible sickly sweet taste, they ended up in the bin and I'm just about to clear-out a stock of different potatoes kept in a fabric bag and in a dark space under the stairs. Perfect.

I think we-all know what our regular favourite type of spud tastes like so how can I avoid this mishap ? Is a growing problem which might mean the Charlotte I planted taste sweet ? Or is it a storage problem ? Maybe the soil they are grown in ?

Have any of you bumped into this problem ?

Hello R H
I'm always very suspicious of supermarket potatoes - washed and packed in poly bags. They are exposed to full light in the store and the greening process has been triggered. Their taste is well - completely lacking is the best way to describe it in polite circles like this forum.

I'm sure a lot of washing, soaking in chlorine water etc then chilling goes on so its no wonder they taste so awful.
Best avoided.
John

Just for a brief moment there Richard I thought your post may relate to a question about a recent birth. Upon opening your thread I was soon corrected (thank goodness ).

I agree with John, and it sounds to me as if the starches have gone into overdrive with that purchased pack.

Richard could they have got frosted .

I don't have much of an excuse other than being lazy though people that know me would hardly describe me as lazy, I was once described as, "Like a Duracell Bunny".

Only stops when he's worn out.

Lazy because we have local growers and veg shops selling the produce of local growers and whilst the geographic distances to these sources could be 10 to 15 miles you'll only meet the odd vehicle. Probably a tractor.

Thanks again for the help, where else would I get that information so stop bulling me up as Mr Wonderful the gardener and realise that most of the time you're all breast-feeding me knowledge, information and method.

Fantastic, and so little bullxxit.

Could they have got frosted ? I bought them off the shelf and I stopped storing spuds in the fridge ages ago thanks to you lot.

I'm of to buy some organic spuds and maybe an armful of other stuff. At least I'm not now worried my first Charlottle that are eagerly growing will taste sweet.

Trust the Royal Family to name a child after a potato!

About yours tasting sweet - when first picked they contain mainly starch, but after being stored and when they are ready for sprouting the starch turns to sugar, so perhaps yours were at this stage.

At least we know how fresh they are when we grow them.

Trust the Royal Family to name a child after a potato!

She won't be cheap as chips for the rest of us.

I'm sure you will love your first dig of Charlotte and wonder why you hadn't done it before, truly brilliant potatoes.

Geoff wrote: wonder why you hadn't done it before, truly brilliant potatoes.

Mostly because my raised beds were full of other things, this year I have more space to grow.

I have a very fertile area of the paddock that I may turn to potatoes if I can get my head and body around the work required to kill off the grasses, rotovate the area and of course deal with the stones.

I'm just about to sow another row of PFA but the wind is so strong and cold even though it's SSW that I keep coming in for a break from it. I have no where outside to shelter from a S or SSW wind other than my shed but it's so sunny and bright I want to be outdoors.

I'm guessing we have gust speeds of 30 MPH even though the forecasted gust speeds are for 45 MPH, if it gets much stronger it's going to be a noisy night because the roof slates rattle.

My plan for potatoes is to sow a row every month, they are eight foot rows. Don't forget I'm mostly feeding myself.

I haven't even sown carrots yet and I have to buy Charlotte seed potatoes.

Well the new royal one is actually Potato Rose Runner Bean then! Not quite so glamorous but won't change her future & mighty lucky really to be the spare as you can have a bit of a life - well if her Uncle Harry is anything to go by!

Let's hope he doesn't babysit too often!

Westi
PS: Really surprised our Liz doesn't have a cauliflower or cabbage at least named after her!

Thread hi-jack - Lady Christl question.
First time I've grown these but I know several of you do. Are they one of the varieties you can judge readiness by flowering or do you just try them? Been in the tunnel for 12 weeks now and have quite good tops though they were very slow at first, hoping they will be ready for my wife's birthday do on 21st.

Just as well you posted that Geoff because I thought all potatoes were ready when flowers appeared, also, how long can potatoes be left in the ground after they are ready ?

I did learn that carrot can be left in the ground though my last years Chantaney variety got to be massive and riddled with slugs.

Geoff wrote:Thread hi-jack - Lady Christl question.
First time I've grown these but I know several of you do. Are they one of the varieties you can judge readiness by flowering or do you just try them? Been in the tunnel for 12 weeks now and have quite good tops though they were very slow at first, hoping they will be ready for my wife's birthday do on 21st.

Afternoon Geoff
As part of our potato variety experiment In 2014 I planted 6 x Lady Christl seed potatoes on 3/4/14. Harvested them between 21/6 and 29/6
Total crop from 6 tubers was 23lb 4oz

The crop was of mixed size from medium to large and were in process of either just finishing flowering or had finished.

If you have had them in for 12 weeks now I would have thought you will be able to include them in your plans for wife's birthday.

Thanks for that, went to photograph the sitting Robin but it wasn't at home so I did the Lady Christl instead.

That is what a polytunnel gives you, Eh ?

Amazing.