Blight resistant Organic Sarpo Seed potatoes

Peter Dowdall

Has anybody grown sarpo mira or axona seed potatoes in the last few years. Any feedback.
Were they easy to grow
Was the flavour good
How was blight resistance
Which variety was nicer

Sive · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:26 pm Post subject:

We grew one of the sarpo varieties last year, I think it was sarpo mira.....they grew well OK, but I am definitely disappointed with the flavour...and they didn't make good roast potatoes either, so I suspect we won't be buying them again unless everything else gets wiped out by blight !

Peter Dowdall · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that SIve, it's my first year trying them so I'm interested in how they going to turn out. Did you grow Mira or Axona can you remember

Greenside Up · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 7:34 pm Post subject:

We grew Sarpo Mira last year. They were quite pricey €8.99 for 2.5kg if I remember correctly but they were fairly blight resistant. I say fairly because a couple of plants did start to suffer. Our neighbour's potato crop down the hill was completely wiped out by blight (he didn't recognise it) and all our polytunnel tomatoes were affected this year.

As soon as we saw signs we cut the haulms to ground level and left the tubers in the ground for a couple of weeks prior to harvesting. A few storage potatoes did start to turn black but we threw them away as soon as we saw signs.

Given the circumstances we were pleased with the results overall.

As for taste, etc. We liked them - they made a nice change after the floury Earlies we'd finished working our way through.

Sive · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:13 pm Post subject:

Hi Peter,
Just checked with my better half and he confirms that it was Sarpo Mira we grew, and they grew very well.
As far as eating them goes, it's a matter of personal taste I suppose....we prefer the flavour of British Queens, Duke of York and Roosters for instance......we just didn't enjoy the sarpos as much, and they definitely didn't make good roast potatoes.

James Kilkelly · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:09 am Post subject:

Some of my Sarpos here.........

Not a touch of blight on any of the tubers, and the closest they got to spray was when my dog tried to cock his leg next to them.

Not floury, but a pretty good taste.
I'd have to disagree with many and say I found them to be great roasters, with roasting improving the taste.
The secret with the sarpos is to stop them (cut or dessicate foliage) as soon as you have an acceptable sized spud.
Flavour is better on the smaller Sarpo.

I could not recommend them highly enough for the beginner gardener.

spudman · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:58 am Post subject:

sarpos' keep growing so they need to be harvested when ready, good blight resistance and cropper but lacks flavour, no comparison to roosters when roasted, best 1st early >sharps exp & epicure, 2nd early > queens & catriona, maincrop > kerrs pink & maris piper * just my opinion !!

michael brenock · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:35 pm Post subject:

Sarpo Mira is more resistant to potato blight on tubers and foliage. Flavour, cooking quality and cropping results are of secondary importance, early varieties normally do not suffer from blight as the temperature is not high enough for the spread of blight. I am sticking with Home Guard but Duke of York and Sharpe's Express would be my next choice.
The Sarpo varieties need further breeding development. Avoid Kerr's Pink and British Queens as these are the most susceptible to foliar and tuber blight.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

spudman · Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:21 am Post subject:

hi

blight is not a problem if you spray regulary, fortnightly or weekly during very clamy weather, well worth the bother, just think of the big floury pinks you will have come aug/sept !

regards

spudman