Michael John Day This early maincrop variety produces high yields of uniform red skinned tubers with white waxy flesh. It keeps quite well and is good for baking, boiling and roasting although the taste has been described as nondescript. It shows resistance to drought, Potato blackleg, powdery scab and and some Potato cyst nematodes.
0.5-1 metres
0.1-0.5 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Grow in an open, frost-free site with deep, fertile, moisture-retentive soil for high quality and heavy yields. Improve soil by adding organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, in the autumn. Draw earth up around the stems as they emerge, to exclude light and prevent the potatoes from becoming green. Water well in dry periods. Potatoes can also be grown in large containers or potato gro-bags. See potato cultivation for further advice.
Propagate by chitting tubers or 'seed potatoes'. This is done by standing the tubers 'rose-end' up (the end with the most eyes) in egg boxes or trays in a cool, light place. After two to three weeks the shoots will begin to sprout. Plant out after frosts have passed, from about mid March to mid April.
No pruning required
Shows resistance to some Potato cyst nematodes and may be susceptible to cutworms, slugs, wireworms, leaf and bud eelworm
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely). Shows resistance to Potato blackleg and Potato scab but may be susceptible to Potato blight, Potato rot, and stem canker