Potato Evaluation 2012

[wmontanez]

Last year I grew around 70 varieties of potatoes, most of them clones but also some 1st year tubers and few new TPS plants. To me it is overwhelming to decide what to continue and what to let go.

I made this table and rank them for overall performance to aid me in deciding and also to keep track of all the little details about the varieties.



I am selecting the potatoes by Flavor, Storage-ability, Disease resistance, Fertility and lastly Yield. Flavor is the most important criteria for me. Some of the diploids are really tasty but short storage for my garden so they still some deserve a center stage just for flavor alone.

I am reducing the potatoes I grow to about 25-35 varieties to give room for more TPS.

[Mark0820]

Interesting information. I'm glad Fripapa is high on the list. I am growing Fripapa TPS this year. Although it doesn't appear to produce berries very well.

[Tom Wagner]

Do you mean Fripapa the clone or the seedlings grown from TPS?

The Bolivian clone, Fripapa, has produced berries for me nearly every year. I do augment the soil with lots of organic minerals, etc.

wmontanez...thanks for taking such detailed notes. I recognize so many of those clones since I have grown many of them myself.

[Medbury Gardens]

Thats an impressive list there Wendy,well done.

I take it you still dont have enough Moie moie to taste yet?

[GunnarSK]

It looks good, and I'm sure it will be useful for prediction and comparison.

[wmontanez]

Originally Posted by Medbury Gardens

Thats an impressive list there Wendy,well done.

I take it you still dont have enough Moie moie to taste yet?

Richard yes, not many Moie-Moie to taste this time around.

But from the Mystery Segregation I was impressed with the yields! It does not have a ranking for taste in that table because I ate them all at the same time and got confused, for sure the white Mystery is not outstanding but yield are great and works fine for a potato pie. The blue resembling Urenika was awesome in taste but mine solid purple are round and was least in yield, that is why is not in the table....the long blue are white and blue inside, good also and the red are good as well also have a long and round both tasty.

[Mark0820]

Originally Posted by Tom Wagner

Do you mean Fripapa the clone or the seedlings grown from TPS?

The Bolivian clone, Fripapa, has produced berries for me nearly every year. I do augment the soil with lots of organic minerals, etc.

wmontanez...thanks for taking such detailed notes. I recognize so many of those clones since I have grown many of them myself.

I was just commenting on wmontanez's chart. She has Fripapa rated a 1 for berry production. I'm growing Fripapa TPS for the first time this year so I have no experience with the berry production.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by wmontanez

Last year I grew around 70 varieties of potatoes,

I am reducing the potatoes I grow to about 25-35 varieties to give room for more TPS.

The yields are too low. I expect 4 to 7 pounds from each plant, and of excellent quality. Anything less than four pounds per plant, I consider marginal

Example:
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZLDZE 15 September 2010 Viking Potatoes Harvested

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RUDKB 15 September 2010 Chieftain Potatoes Harvested.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ATRDM 15 September 2010 Agria Potatoes Harvested

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FBQWE 11 September 2010 Russian Blue Potatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKWAI 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

[wmontanez]

Durgan
Great yields indeed. Good for you!

[wingnut]

Durgan, you say the yields are to low, when in fact you don't even know Wendy's yield per plant. She uses a ranking system between 1 and 5, 1 may equal 2 pounds, and 5 may equal 10 pounds. Just saying.....

Originally Posted by Durgan

The yields are too low. I expect 4 to 7 pounds from each plant, and of excellent quality. Anything less than four pounds per plant, I consider marginal

Example:
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZLDZE 15 September 2010 Viking Potatoes Harvested

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RUDKB 15 September 2010 Chieftain Potatoes Harvested.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ATRDM 15 September 2010 Agria Potatoes Harvested

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FBQWE 11 September 2010 Russian Blue Potatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKWAI 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by wingnut

Durgan, you say the yields are to low, when in fact you don't even know Wendy's yield per plant. She uses a ranking system between 1 and 5, 1 may equal 2 pounds, and 5 may equal 10 pounds. Just saying.....

I can follow a table. All that is required is the number of pounds or any other unit per plant. 1 to 5 is silly. Incidentally no potato produces ten pounds.

Pound per plant should be the main criteria, then the more subtle characteristics can be considered.

[hdrider]

Originally Posted by Durgan

I can follow a table. All that is required is the number of pounds or any other unit per plant. 1 to 5 is silly. Incidentally no potato produces ten pounds.

Pound per plant should be the main criteria, then the more subtle characteristics can be considered.

Not to be rude but since wmontanez is sharing personal experiences and findings with us I don't think that anyone should say what or how they track it is silly. They track what is important to them.

I for one will take all the information I can get and to use it anyway I can. If that means that some of the info provided does not pertain to my needs I will be thankful for the info that did. I will not only use the info on these potatoes to my full ability but wood love to see the same kind of tracking used with other veggies.

My first concern in my attempts to raise a garden is to harvest great tasting healthy food. The how much per plant is only a secondary concern after I accomplish the first. If I can accomplish both then I have a keeper for the next year.

Through all of the gracious people on this forum I find my goals easier to achieve. I want to thank everyone no matter what their opinion or methods for making my gardening endeavors easier and more abundant not to mention rewarding.

Thankyou everyone, even the ones that I don't always agree with. Since they seem to be the ones that get me to open my eyes and except change into my rock hard head.

[wmontanez]

@hdrider
I appreciate your comments. I do have some experience growing sweet peppers too. So for peppers try morning sun exposure and afternoon shade not full sun ~8hrs of direct sun seem enough in my MA garden. Of course I did a well documented experiment too. Try and see if you get better results. I've tried that 3 years in a row and the yield and health of the plants seem to agree with it.

[wmontanez]

Hi Mark0820/Tom
Fripapa in that table is clone. And it did produce berries both times I grew it.
My criteria for berry is 1-5 get's 1 point...6-10 berries gets 2 points and so on...

I have Fripapa F1 which has name as Fripapa 1, 2, 3 from TPS grown also but is not in that table. I got 3 different colors.

[Mark0820]

Originally Posted by wmontanez

I have Fripapa F1 which has name as Fripapa 1, 2, 3 from TPS grown also but is not in that table. I got 3 different colors.

What were the three colors you observed?

I'm seeing a few different colors in the stems of my seedlings, and I would like to see how they match-up with your colors. I have one stem that is either dark red or blue/purple, quite a few stems that appear a lighter red / pink color (it is difficult to get a definitive read on these), and I also have clear (or typical green) stems (I am assuming these will be yellow skin).