An heirloom first early variety introduced in 1900 and was apparently Percy Thrower’s favourite. It is slightly pear shaped with bright white flesh, smooth skin and a superb 'new potato' flavour. Best boiled or steamed whole in skins it is great hot with butter or cold in salads and it’s floury texture also means it makes a great roastie!
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
May be susceptible to cutworms, slugs, wireworms, leaf and bud eelworm, Potato cyst nematodes
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), Potato scab, Potato blight, Potato rot, Potato blackleg, potato vrisues and stem canker