Potato Scab!

[Meadowlark]

...
Scab is harmless to humans...

A favorite way of eating our new potatoes is "with the jackets on"...a phrase commonly used in my past. The older generations knew that the skins provided nutritional value although they probably didn't know how much hence they cooked them without removing skins. They valued potatoes without scab as being far superior for eating "with the jackets on".

Now we know that "The potato, as well as the skin, are great sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, zinc, and protein, but neither naturally contain any fat, cholesterol, or sodium. Leaving the skin intact can also help preserve the nutrients in the flesh of the potato, which have a tendency to escape during cooking.

Nutrional values (daily value) of one medium sized potato:

1. Vitamin C: 45% of DV
2. Potassium: 18% of DV
3. Vitamin B6: 10% of DV
4. Total Carbohydrates: 9% of DV
5. Iron: 6% of DV
6. Folate: 6% of DV
7. Magnesium: 6% of DV
8. Zinc: 2% of DV
9. Protein: 2% of DV

Just for fun, I googled "potato scab" and got back many less than appetizing pictures of potato with scab. Imagine trying to eat these "with the skins on" or as a baked potato ready for all the trimmings with your steak dinner. Ok, maybe the scab doesn't hurt humans directly, but it certainly does encourage removing the skins before eating, a less nutritious act.

So, how do you like your baked potato... sour creme, butter, chives, scab?

In my opinion...avoid the scab. It's easy to do.

 

[Susan BBPM]

It's interesting that you guys in America talk about 'white' and 'red' potatoes.

We have a wide variety of potatoes to choose from in the UK, and ALL have done really well for me (albeit in my 2 seasons of experience!)

We have a variety here that I plan to try for the first time next year. They are by all accounts 'bullet proof'. You stick them in the ground and leave them - resistant to all disease and drought. Another thing about them is that you can harvest them early as new potatoes or just leave them in the ground until they reach the size you want - they'll keep growing until first frost.

Sarpo Mira

sarpo.co.uk

A favorite way of eating our new potatoes is "with the jackets on"...a phrase commonly used in my past. The older generations knew that the skins provided nutritional value although they probably didn't know how much hence they cooked them without removing skins. They valued potatoes without scab as being far superior for eating "with the jackets on".

Now we know that "The potato, as well as the skin, are great sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, zinc, and protein, but neither naturally contain any fat, cholesterol, or sodium. Leaving the skin intact can also help preserve the nutrients in the flesh of the potato, which have a tendency to escape during cooking.

Nutrional values (daily value) of one medium sized potato:

1. Vitamin C: 45% of DV
2. Potassium: 18% of DV
3. Vitamin B6: 10% of DV
4. Total Carbohydrates: 9% of DV
5. Iron: 6% of DV
6. Folate: 6% of DV
7. Magnesium: 6% of DV
8. Zinc: 2% of DV
9. Protein: 2% of DV

Just for fun, I googled "potato scab" and got back many less than appetizing pictures of potato with scab. Imagine trying to eat these "with the skins on" or as a baked potato ready for all the trimmings with your steak dinner. Ok, maybe the scab doesn't hurt humans directly, but it certainly does encourage removing the skins before eating, a less nutritious act.

View attachment 92257

So, how do you like your baked potato... sour creme, butter, chives, scab?

In my opinion...avoid the scab.

Totally agree. I like new potatoes with skins on, and also jacket and wedges with maincrop potatoes.

I don't mind scab on potatoes I intend to peel, but I've read they won't store as well?

 

[Meadowlark]

...I don't mind scab on potatoes I intend to peel, but I've read they won't store as well?

Might be better stated to say scab potatoes do NOT store well.

That Sarpo Mira potato is very interesting. I wonder how it would do in East Texas, where we are largely zone 8? Hungary, the country of origin, has some 7a zones but mostly 6.

I will try some if I can find some seed potatoes.

 

[headfullofbees]

Might be better stated to say scab potatoes do NOT store well.

That Sarpo Mira potato is very interesting. I wonder how it would do in East Texas, where we are largely zone 8? Hungary, the country of origin, has some 7a zones but mostly 6.

I will try some if I can find some seed potatoes.

I've grown it before.
It's absolutely blight resistant.
I got loads of potatoes, I mean LOADS, some of them huge, & I was able to crop them right up until December...BUT, I didn't like the texture at all, almost gravelly, & many of the big ones had hollow heart.
The Sarpo potatoes were bread for calories in Eastern Europe of Warsaw Pact days, just for calories.
Never again.

 

[gary350]

Has anyone grown WHITE sweet potatoes? These are easy to grow place the potato in a jar of water 2 months before planting in the garden several vines grow from 1 end of the potato. Make a cutting with 1 vine place it on soil surface then cover it up with 3" of soil. I rake vines in a circle around the potato cutting once a week. I can usually keep the vine from 1 plant in a 5 ft diameter circle. After frost kills the plant I dig up 25 lbs of new potatoes. I cover vines with soil every 18" the plants will grow roots and grow 1 new potato at every location where the vines root. I get another 10 lbs of new potatoes from the vine. Total 35 lbs of new potatoes from each plant. I plant April 20 and harvest Nov 5. We have made, skillet fried potatoes, French fries, baked, masked, its hard to tell its not a Red potato. Sweet potato plants love hot blistering full sun & dry soil all summer. If you don't want to search for satellite potatoes on the vines don't help vines grow roots. 25lbs is a lot of potatoes from 1 plant. No need to wait for frost to kill plants start eating potatoes in August.

Some garden stores sell a bundle of 12 sweet potato slips for $4. If your having trouble growing white potatoes because it is too HOT where you live, you won't have trouble growing white sweet potatoes.

 

[Meadowlark]

Has anyone grown WHITE sweet potatoes?

I have not but that is some impressive production you wrote of.

I do not like the red/orange sweet potatoes taste; hence I don't grow them except on request. Those whites sound very interesting.... but I couldn't find anyone who has slips.

Do you have contact(s) for purchasing some white slips?

 

[gary350]

I have not but that is some impressive production you wrote of.

I do not like the red/orange sweet potatoes taste; hence I don't grow them except on request. Those whites sound very interesting.... but I couldn't find anyone who has slips.

Do you have contact(s) for purchasing some white slips?

We have several places in town that sell garden supplies starting March 1st but the Amish Garden store is the only place that ever sells white sweet potato slips. Since I don't want 12 slips I buy an 80 cent white sweet potato to grow my own slips. 3 plants usually gives us about 100 lbs of white sweet potatoes.

I don't like the red/orange sweet potatoes either.

 

[Susan BBPM]

I've grown it before.
It's absolutely blight resistant.
I got loads of potatoes, I mean LOADS, some of them huge, & I was able to crop them right up until December...BUT, I didn't like the texture at all, almost gravelly, & many of the big ones had hollow heart.
The Sarpo potatoes were bread for calories in Eastern Europe of Warsaw Pact days, just for calories.
Never again.

Yes, I've read that if you don't stop Sarp Mira from growing at the appropriate time they get too big, fibrous and have hollow hearts. In the UK climate the advise is to cut them down in August. (Typically from a late March planting).

Reviews in the UK (where they're becoming fairly popular) are overall that the flavour is good - but I think here they're primarily used for baking and chips.

 

[Susan BBPM]

Might be better stated to say scab potatoes do NOT store well.

That Sarpo Mira potato is very interesting. I wonder how it would do in East Texas, where we are largely zone 8? Hungary, the country of origin, has some 7a zones but mostly 6.

I will try some if I can find some seed potatoes.

I believe UK equates to about a zone 9 or 9b and they seem to grow extremely well here.

Another variety I'm trying next year might interest you. It's called 'Jazzy'. Guaranteed 35 potatoes per plant in an 8l container and as many as 80!!

This reviewer seems honest and impartial. He rates Jazzy highly. Slightly smaller than average new potatoes but very high yield and lovely taste. He started harvesting in July, the foliage died back by late July, but those left in the ground kept growing as main crop. He did his final harvests in December and they still tasted great.

Independent assessment of the Jazzy potato variety

Independent review of the Jazzy potato from the potato experts. When to plant, when to harvest, how to cook, pest and disease problems.

www.gardenfocused.co.uk

My biggest problem is largely down to inexperience and chaotic lifestyle. I end up wasting most of my new potatoes because I harvest them all to make space to grow something else and then don't eat them. Next year I'm growing 3 varieties that you can harvest at any point from new potato to main crop and just leave them in the ground. Along with a few earlies and some maincrop that I particularly like.