Kitchen Garden Forum

More advise please, A friend recommended a very old variety of waxy Salad Potato: 'Pink Fur Apple'.

OK, I'm into 'old and flavour', Wilkinson's had a bag of five tubers, strangest looking things, best described as looking like 'Dogie doo-doos', you dont know whether to plant or light them?

Described on the web as late main crop, and slow to chit, put in dark until shoots show, then move out into the light.

Question: How best to get them to chit? At present they are in a seed tray on some kitchen towel, the seed tray is covered with 4 of sheets of news paper, places under a table in a warm light room. Do I need more dark I have a warm very dark cupboard?

My seeds are coming up like Triffids!!!! getting exciting now, had some Marigolds germinate in 3 days!

CJS

Evening CJS, Pink Fir Apple are always slow to chit, but at the end of the day it i not as important with lates, just put them in regardless.

We always used to grow these and they were always slow ,but once planted were fine.They're a lovely potato a pleasant change as a main crop although they're fiddly to clean.I usually give them a good scrub bring them to the boil and then discard the water ,replace with fresh and cook as normal.We 're trying Ratte this year I don't know if they're similar

Hi CJS, do as OH said I had the same query last year and OH told me to plant them which I did and had a very good crop bigger in size and not many knobly ones, we have grown them for years as we like potato salad but in the past they have been so knobby I found it beat to cook them in their skins which come away easy when they are cooled.

Bren

Mmm . . . sorry if I'm dens? Are you saying, don't try to chit them, just plant the tubers and they will do their own thing in their own time?

CJS

Morning CJS, sorry not to be clear, what i was trying to say was, it doesn't seem to make any difference whether you try to chit them or not, they still grow o.k. So you can just plant them when you're ready whether they have nice shoots on them or not.

Never feel bad at re-asking a question if you don't understand what someone is trying to explain, especially with me, as i'm not the best at putting words together i'm afraid.

OK, Thanks, I understand. Begs a second question, 'plant the tubers when I'm ready'? Any suggestions when best to plant, I will be using compost in old rolled down compost bags, 'potato grow bags'

I did a bag at the weekend using the chitted new potatoes that Hazel found in the bottom of her veg box.

One is a bit unsure how the weather will affect potatoes in bags, they can sit in the greenhouse for now? So its a wing, a prayer and some advise from KG

CJS

Not sure how Pink Fir Apple will grow in bags but, they do like a very long growing season, so Easter Weekend could be a good time to put them in, or a little later if you want.

oldherbaceous wrote:Not sure how Pink Fir Apple will grow in bags but, they do like a very long growing season, so Easter Weekend could be a good time to put them in, or a little later if you want.

My friend who recommended 'Furry Apples' uses bags, like me, he is very new to this 'dirt up the fingernail bit', he was happy, although I did not see his crop . . . he lives in the 'Lakes'. I hope he is not pulling my leg? I recommended, and sent him a dozen 'SunGold Tomatoes' seeds.

So as you say OH, Easter Weekend it is . . . Going to a local garden show Sunday, see if I can get 'International Kidney', (Jersey Royals) am I out of season? Even wonder how Jersey Royals from the supermarket would plant out and grow on late, in a bag, after all, Hazels 'Morrison Specials' are in and going? Getting a bit 'sad' me thinks but its a bit of fun

CJS

Well that sounds promising if your friend has had good results, CJS.

All gardeners become good gardeners by experimenting, as long as you learn by your mistakes.

CJS wrote:[quote="

So as you say OH, Easter Weekend it is . . . Going to a local garden show Sunday, see if I can get 'International Kidney', (Jersey Royals) am I out of season? Even wonder how Jersey Royals from the supermarket would plant out and grow on late, in a bag, after all, Hazels 'Morrison Specials' are in and going? Getting a bit 'sad' me thinks but its a bit of fun

CJS

Ooh are you going to the big show at the Suffolk Showground? I might go for some fruit trees.

Also I have grown Pink Fir Apple, they're lovely roasted whole in a bit of olive oil - like a giant chip!

Victoria wrote:

CJS wrote:[quote="

So as you say OH, Easter Weekend it is . . . Going to a local garden show Sunday, see if I can get 'International Kidney', (Jersey Royals) am I out of season? Even wonder how Jersey Royals from the supermarket would plant out and grow on late, in a bag, after all, Hazels 'Morrison Specials' are in and going? Getting a bit 'sad' me thinks but its a bit of fun

CJS

Ooh are you going to the big show at the Suffolk Showground? I might go for some fruit trees.

Also I have grown Pink Fir Apple, they're lovely roasted whole in a bit of olive oil - like a giant chip!

Thats it Victoria, Suffolk Show Ground, see what up?

Giant chip? thats not what I thought when I first saw them

CJS

Well, well, I have had my 'Pink Fur Apple' seed tubers in the house in a seed tray, warm and covered with newspaper for a week. Had a peep just now, they are sprouting!!! Only 2 or 3mm but they are doing their thing . . . another couple of weeks the pop them out into their potato grow bag home . . . is that alright?

CJS

That will be just fine, CJS.