Sarpo Mira Spuds

stonehead · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:03 am Post subject: Sarpo Mira Spuds

First time trying spuds heard Dermot O Neill on about these has any one tried them, ther organic and I payed about 10 euro for a 2.5 kilo bag

James Kilkelly · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:17 am Post subject:

Stick Sarpo into search box at the top of the page and it brings up loads of thread on this blight resistant variety.
I grew them for the last two years.
Not floury, but the easiest potato you'll ever grow as far as blight spraying goes.

Lius · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:59 am Post subject:

Hi stonehead,

Where did you get the Sarpo, Mr. Middleton in Dublin is all out of stock and won't be getting any more this year.

Please don't tell me you got them in Galway because I was down there last week basking in the sun and didn't think to look there.

stonehead · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:33 am Post subject:

Hi Lius, yes I got them in Mc Gaughs and could only find one bag so I guess they are popular, will shop around for more. Thanks James should have though of that.

Lius · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:52 pm Post subject:

For anyone interested Newlands Garden Centre has plenty of Sarpo Mira €9.99 for 2.5kg.

I started mine chitting today and will plant at the end of April, I already have 1st and 2nd earlies down.

I have big hopes for these Sarpo organically grown in soiless raised beds. I have not planted a main crop since I was a teen. I felt that with all the spraying involved with standard main crop potatoes there was no benifit and I might as well buy in the shop.

michael brenock · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:06 pm Post subject:

sarpo mira potatoes are MORE resistant to tuber and foliage blight than most other varieties.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

polly · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:42 am Post subject:

I planted sarpo mira last year, they were tastless! I won!t be planting them this year. They make them more resistant to blight etc; and they take the taste away!

Sive · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:45 am Post subject:

I agree with you Polly, I certainly wouldn't be planting them for taste, I was disappointed with them the one year we planted them.

Lius · Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:16 pm Post subject:

Just dug and ate the first of my Sarpo Mira tonight (with nice Striploins).

We baked them with a few Roosters for comparison.

Everybody loved the Sarpo and could not taste a huge difference between them and the roosters.

stonehead · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:34 am Post subject:

Have just dug my own sarpo,s and I have to say im less than impressed with them, first of i though they were quite bland and even when mashed with butter, milk and salt i could still feel hard pieces like crystal,s. Also they were a lot of very small potatoes, as for yeild a 2.5 kg bag returned a full fish box if you know the size probably 4 to 5 stone id say. Also grew Desiree which I though were much better with bigger spuds and better flavour and better yeild. Over all not so bad for my first year on my allotment with potatoes. Also grew onions, summer cabbage, celabrse, swedes, parsnips and leeks to come. Would like to hear how everyone else got on.

Stonehead.

Her Outdoors · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:27 pm Post subject:

Our first year to grow Sapro's and we won't be doing them again. yield is not too bad, but they are very bland. Not a patch on Records or Roosters. We grew Orla for the 1st time this year and found them quite nice. Lovely cabbage this year, the Hispi was superb. Just starting on Greyhound. Onions & Garlic all harvested and drying. Good return on Runner Beans, Parsnips and Salads. very few Carrots and Beetroots very small but nice. All in all happy with return.

Lius · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:09 pm Post subject:

I can't believe stonehead & Her Outdoors taste test, as I said we ate records with the the Sarpo, on the same plates and nobody could taste much of a difference between them. My Sarpo were the MIRA varitey I bought them in Newlands garden centre, were yours the same type? I had Orla for my second earlies and while they were a bit nicer I just put that down to all earlies being tastier.

I had a good harvest with early broccoli, mangtout, onions, lettuce but smaller harvest of tomatoes carrots & parsnips. My winter veg are well established now and the first of the brussel sprouts are ready for picking and some of the broccoli heads are starting to form, I also have leeks, parsnips and cauliflower for later.

Gautama · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:41 am Post subject:

Could be the waxy/floury divide, or the jackeen/culchie divide, or just plain taste.

Two years ago I'd a bumper harvest of Pink Fir Apple potatoes. I'd heard and read so much about them, from people panicking on the Mooney show about not being able to get them, to the indulgence of the single potato chips. The nutty flavour and sublime texture, etc.

Was I in for a land. "They're waxy", I said. Tastes differ. End of story.

spudulike · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:10 pm Post subject:

Tried these three seasons ago. Huge yield. Enormous sized potatoes (no fertilizer involved) Its very blight resistant, but they taste awful. Tried to get rid of them by giving to friends etc. Not ONE positive feedback. Never again Take your chances with the blight.

Greengage · Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:01 pm Post subject:

Great you wil not have blight but you wont have spuds either, taste terrible