Sarpo spuds in the shops

redser7

Disaster with blight this year. So might try one of the sarpo varieties next year. Has anyone ever seen them for sale in shops/supermarkets? Have heard mixed things about the taste and would like to try some first.
Cheers

Cardinal Richelieu

redser7 wrote: »

Disaster with blight this year. So might try one of the sarpo varieties next year. Has anyone ever seen them for sale in shops/supermarkets? Have heard mixed things about the taste and would like to try some first.
Cheers

See them rarely in shops, they are only sold as organic. Have you tried asking around in the allotment to see if anyone is growing them? They might be able to do some bartering with you.

redser7

Thanks. Good idea, must ask around. Cheers

bookworms

They taste fine!!I think my husband picked them up in a garden centre this year. They are looking great at the moment despite the favourable blight condidtions. Good luck with your search.

redser7

Thanks Bookworms

maryb26

Have grown these for the past few years. Taste great. Nice floury spud. Seed can be bought by mail order from Mr. Middleton.

redser7

Cheer Mary. Good to know. Are you growing them? How are they looking? I saw them in the Mr Middletons but went for roosters and Mayan Gold. Both got it

btw - saw the thread on GM spud trials. Why aren't naturally resistant spuds like the sarpos grown more in Ireland?

Sgt Pepper 64

I dont understand how you can get blight in a small garden?
If you use fresh soil in a different patch and use only new seed spuds, you should avoid it I thought?

redser7

It's an allotment plot If there's one place you're likely to get it, that would be it I would imagine

redser7

Anyway I dont think that would matter? It's airborn spores so can be country-wide

Cardinal Richelieu

redser7 wrote: »

Anyway I dont think that would matter? It's airborn spores so can be country-wide

Yes its airborne so hard to control. You might be doing a great job of prevention using spray treatments but your neighbours in the allotment or down the road might not be.

Cardinal Richelieu

redser7 wrote: »

Cheer Mary. Good to know. Are you growing them? How are they looking? I saw them in the Mr Middletons but went for roosters and Mayan Gold. Both got it

btw - saw the thread on GM spud trials. Why aren't naturally resistant spuds like the sarpos grown more in Ireland?

Simple answer is that breeding blight resistant varieties the conventional way often means you have to compromise on some other attribute like taste, yield, texture, storage capability etc. GM is seen as a way to overcome this. Also there seems to be a level of confusion among veg gardeners caused partly by the misinformation spread by gardening experts. Sarpo Mira has high resistance to blight, that doesn't mean it can't catch blight.


Propitious Esculent- The Potato in World History

"Ever since the first epidemic struck Europe in 1845, late blight has been the major evil that potato-growers face, and breeding resistant varieties is still a preferred means of dealing with it. High levels of resistance have been attained, but durability is elusive- the pathogens always manages to find a way through whatever barrier the plant-breeders have introduced.

Zuiderzee

Sarpos are a good spud for eating, and very good against blight - my two ridges this year did not get blight despite their neighbours getting a touch.

My favorite blight resistant spud in terms of taste and texture is Setanta.

Toluca also seems to be quite promising, not ready for harvest yet - but foliage is good.

redser7

I presume you dont use sprays at all then? THanks for the info. Where do you source your seed?
Cheers

Tora Bora

My garden is like a Paddy Field, with all the rain. Shame I hadn't the foresight to plant rice:rolleyes:

johngalway

Zuiderzee wrote: »

Sarpos are a good spud for eating, and very good against blight - my two ridges this year did not get blight despite their neighbours getting a touch.

My favorite blight resistant spud in terms of taste and texture is Setanta.

Toluca also seems to be quite promising, not ready for harvest yet - but foliage is good.

How are the Sarpo compared to Roosters for eating?

I'm going to try a few different varieties next year to see what's what.

My Desiree seem fine, but I have sprayed a few times.

sirpsycho

Roosters far superior to any sarpo, well to my tastebuds anyways. Sarpo just ok for eating, not great but not too bad. Havent seen any in the shops although I have a feeling they are sold in Superquinn.

Only way is to spray (with dithene) to avoid the blight in this poxy wet country!

muckyhands

Ive grown Sarpo axona and mira the past few years- never have blight troubles with them on my allotment. Have found they need to be boiled carefully- dont go off and forget about them or youll end up with soup, like me- cookings not my fortay.

Taste is fantastic when done right. Boiled with butter or roasted with butter and melted cheese, Mmmm.

Get mine from Mr Middleton and Tullys nursery in Ballyboughal started stocking them this year so far as I know.

redser7

Thanks Muckyhands, so I am assuming you dont spray them at all? Hearing around the plots that this year even with spraying some people got hit

Technophobe

Redser,

Mr Middleton has bags of Sarpo Peer and Charlotte for sale in city centre shop...Got some Charlotte myself there today;)

redser7

Cheers Technophobe. What's the deal? For Christmas spuds?

muckyhands

redser7 wrote: »

Thanks Muckyhands, so I am assuming you dont spray them at all? Hearing around the plots that this year even with spraying some people got hit

No I dont spray and so far so good.

geordief

Is noone familiar with the idea of spraying the very young plants regularly with a very diluted asprin solution?

I tried it myself a good few years ago and results were perfect but I didn't have the appplication to continue and just put up with having to cut the haulms to ground level (and remove) as soon as the blight arrives (I normally can continue using the tubers right up until the new year normally)

Apart from that I spray is a fairly disorganised way with a bordeaux mixture that I make up freshly with builders lime and copper sulphate crystals.
I think I would have better results with this if I was more organised.

I also don't grow them all in the same spot and sometimes the blight will leave one area alone at least for a few weeks.

Technophobe

redser7 wrote: »

Cheers Technophobe. What's the deal? For Christmas spuds?

Yep advertised as Christmas spuds..9.95 :eek: for a bag of seed potatoes

redser7

Wow wont be bothering with those, what a racket

paddy147

Dont worry,give it another 2-3 years or so,and we will be eating GM Spuds from County Carlow.

Thanks to Teagasc and the EPA

redser7

Patented spuds. Soon we wont even be able to grow our own veg. Keep saving those seeds!

paddy147

redser7 wrote: »

Patented spuds. Soon we wont even be able to grow our own veg. Keep saving those seeds!

GM crop fields will mean a further decline in Bees and butterflies too.:(

Cardinal Richelieu

paddy147 wrote: »

GM crop fields will mean a further decline in Bees and butterflies too.:(

Links?

liamhana

I dug two rows up entirely last week due to blight & will now have to take up the rest early as well as the leaves are gone & the few I've picked are showing signs.....Sarpos next year...

paddy147

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Links?

Theres been studies done on GM fields over in the Uk and they saw a 68% drop in bees and butterflies.:(


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0727/1224320884878.html



....."An Taisce said it was concerned that conducting GM field trials in an open air environment could result in the cross-pollination with non-GM potatoes. “In addition, research on GM crops on farmland biodiversity in the UK, which was carried out on more than 200 plots, have demonstrated worrying trends. Bees and butterflies were found to be 68 per cent fewer in the GM field”.............

Technophobe

liamhana wrote: »

I dug two rows up entirely last week due to blight & will now have to take up the rest early as well as the leaves are gone & the few I've picked are showing signs.....Sarpos next year...

You dont necessarily have to dig them up straight away....When you cut the blighted foliage off them, you can (some say should) leave them in the ground for a while until you need them.....
That's assuming you catch the blight before it gets to the actual spuds themselves...

geordief

That's what I do.They last till the spring but the slugs do get them -especially some varieties like Pinks and especially with really wet conditions
.
I cut the haulms right to the ground and remove absolutely everything ideally.

I suppose if you could keep the rain off the area (with plastic?) it would be even better.

Noone with any experience of using asprin?

Cardinal Richelieu

paddy147 wrote: »

Theres been studies done on GM fields over in the Uk and they saw a 68% drop in bees and butterflies.:(


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0727/1224320884878.html



....."An Taisce said it was concerned that conducting GM field trials in an open air environment could result in the cross-pollination with non-GM potatoes. “In addition, research on GM crops on farmland biodiversity in the UK, which was carried out on more than 200 plots, have demonstrated worrying trends. Bees and butterflies were found to be 68 per cent fewer in the GM field”.............

Ok first of all that's just a quote from a vested political interest. Have you got a link to the actual report you read? What type of GM crops were they?

I am perplexed on your reaction to GM potatoes because in other threads you have freely given advice and admitted use of pesticides, pesticides have been linked to Bee Colony Collapse.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2012-releases/colony-collapse-disorder-pesticide.html

muckyhands

Has anybody ever tried using Horsetail tea or a weak mix of seaweed on their spuds for blight???

Havent myself but was looking at an article on Irish seed savers about it...

'' We can now see the early potatoes lifted by rows, with their haulm taken to the compost heap. Before planting anything after them dig them over thoroughly to collect any stragglers, leaving them in will only encourage them to grow again and carry any blight spores into next years crop. Blight shows as rounded dark-brown patches around the edges of the leaves that spread rapidly and blacken the whole plant; this in turn reduces the food supply to the tubers so there is less of a crop, the humble spud will rot when stored. If you see the patches in time, you can spray with horsetail tea or a very weak seaweed mix; do this in 3 week intervals from June. If left unchecked and the stems blacken, cut off the haulms and take them right out of the garden for the spores will be washed into the soil or compost heap ready to sprout again next year. Wait about 3 weeks before lifting the potatoes to give the spores time to die out. ''

Interesting I thought.

muckyhands

Technophobe wrote: »

Redser,

Mr Middleton has bags of Sarpo Peer and Charlotte for sale in city centre shop...Got some Charlotte myself there today;)

'Sarpo' peer or Maris peer?

paddy147

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Ok first of all that's just a quote from a vested political interest. Have you got a link to the actual report you read? What type of GM crops were they?

I am perplexed on your reaction to GM potatoes because in other threads you have freely given advice and admitted use of pesticides, pesticides have been linked to Bee Colony Collapse.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2012-releases/colony-collapse-disorder-pesticide.html

You have implied/suggested that Im quoting a political party or a politicians comments on this matter.

Completely wrong accusation of me,on your part.

With regards what I originally posted about the decline in bees/butterflys in GM areas....it is freely available on the internet....if you look.

http://www.antaisce.ie/Portals/0/Newsletters/mar2011/mar2011.html


So is "An Taisce" a political party now??


....."The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) of which An Taisce is an active member, is calling for the Council of Ministers to ensure a de facto new moratorium on the cultivation of GMOs by suspending new authorisations until the current authorisation system is significantly strengthened and rules in line with the 2008 Council conclusions, guaranteeing member states the right to decide whether or not to cultivate GM crops in their territory are in place; and to ensure that a rigorous, comprehensive, coherent and mandatory regime for the risk assessment of GMOs will be put in place.

An Taisce is calling for Ireland to vote against the new proposals. There are huge risks associated with the release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in to the Environment, one of which is the fact that those organisms can never be recalled. Once released nothing can control their expansion, their mutations, their invasion of "unimproved" plants, or the cross fertilisation with regular crops. The potential consequences for biodiversity, and food sovereignty, are far reaching. There is also huge merit in Ireland taking on a strong GM Free stance for economic reasons, which include feeding the growing demands of European consumers for GM free foods.

Research on impacts of GM herbicide tolerant spring crops on farmland Biodiversity, carried out on more than 200 plots in the UK, has demonstrated worrying trends. Bees and butterflies were found to be fewer in the GM fields, as low as 68% less abundant in GM fields than in fields of conventionally grown crops. Other complex ecological relationships were found to be much impacted by the GM crops, such as a reduction in a range of pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates. Most of the Biotech industry focus in genetic engineering is based on herbicide resistance. The engineered crop is developed with a resistance to a particular herbicide, often produced by the same company that has developed the crop, so that the fields with the engineered crop can be heavily sprayed with the herbicide to kill off all other plants. This obviously has major knock on impacts in the environment, for example in herbicide residues in soil and water, and to wild flora and fauna in the landscape. The clearance of huge fields and tracts of land with powerful herbicides produces farmland devoid of wildlife, spelling disaster for already declining bird and other wildlife populations.

Genetically Engineered crops strengthen the control of multinationals over our agricultural sector and thus weaken food security by increasing farmer’s dependence on international seed and chemical supply, and decreasing the genetic diversity of and hence crop resistance to unforeseen factors such as drought and disease. It is these same profit driven motives of the agricultural biotech companies that have driven the new proposals and their support from Council Ministers".....




I am perplexed as to how you are so "qualified" as to judge me and accuse me of using pesticides?
Also that you are Pro GM but will have a go at me for using some diluted herbicidal weed killer to spray a small patch of my back garden (calm dry day and late evening too).

You make out as if I spray pesticides all over the place.

I ONCE sprayed a diluted "herbicide" weed killer on a small patch of my back garden,to get rid of very heavy weed growth and brambles.
I personally have never used or sprayed insecticides or fungicides in my life.



So you say you are Pro GM.....So you also would be fully aware of the "chemical process" involved in treating GM fields and GM spuds,before,during and after GM Spud trials.

You are aware of that process,arent you??

So please explain how you can be in favour of the entire GM process (and all the chemical spray procedures involved) but then have a pop at me for using a diluted "herbicidal" weed killer on a Once Off basis,in a small patch of my back garden.

Please explain that to me.



PS-Maybe go and start a "personal debate" with An Taisce and ask them if they are making it all up.

SPUDS Community Research

Spuds (www.spuds.ie) is a community based research project trialling 3 different varieties of naturally blight resistant potatoes, we handed out one and half tons of Sárpo Mira, Sárpo Axona and Blue Danube in April to anyone who wanted to take part growing them this summer, these seed potatoes came from our research partners Sárávari Research Trust (http://www.sarvari-trust.org/) in Wales, who have been studying blight resistance for over 40 years.
If you 'd like to grow them next year you'll be able to get them from selected garden centers ( or ask you local one NOW to get them in next year) or directly from Mr Middleton (www.mrmiddleton.com/) , who get them from our friends in Wales, and if you're looking to support Organic Frutihill Farm (www.fruithillfarm.com/) and the Organic center (www.theorganiccentre.ie) will also be able to supply you.

It is Spuds Ireland’s dream to see a sustainable agricultural food system develop in Ireland so that we can live up to our image abroad of a green, clean GM-free country. So we are disappointed to learn that the EPA has granted approval to Teagasc to trial GM potatoes in Ireland. SPUDS feel that government bodies such as Teagasc have the responsibility to educate the public on the various options for growing potatoes in Ireland. SPUDS will continue its awareness campaign into the various naturally blight resistant varieties that are available in Ireland. SPUDS is looking forward to examining the research results of the 300 growers who have cultivated naturally blight resistant varieties this summer and to tasting the potatoes at tasting fests this autumn.

Good luck to all us potato growers

Kind regards
SPUDS

redser7

Will you do us a favour and remember to let us know how it went or post a link to the results? Cheers

SPUDS Community Research

all research results will be publish once collated!
Hope it'll be convincing

Kind regards

SPUDS

paddy147

SPUDS Community Research wrote: »

Spuds (www.spuds.ie) is a community based research project trialling 3 different varieties of naturally blight resistant potatoes, we handed out one and half tons of Sárpo Mira, Sárpo Axona and Blue Danube in April to anyone who wanted to take part growing them this summer, these seed potatoes came from our research partners Sárávari Research Trust (http://www.sarvari-trust.org/) in Wales, who have been studying blight resistance for over 40 years.
If you 'd like to grow them next year you'll be able to get them from selected garden centers ( or ask you local one NOW to get them in next year) or directly from Mr Middleton (www.mrmiddleton.com/) , who get them from our friends in Wales, and if you're looking to support Organic Frutihill Farm (www.fruithillfarm.com/) and the Organic center (www.theorganiccentre.ie) will also be able to supply you.

It is Spuds Ireland’s dream to see a sustainable agricultural food system develop in Ireland so that we can live up to our image abroad of a green, clean GM-free country. So we are disappointed to learn that the EPA has granted approval to Teagasc to trial GM potatoes in Ireland. SPUDS feel that government bodies such as Teagasc have the responsibility to educate the public on the various options for growing potatoes in Ireland. SPUDS will continue its awareness campaign into the various naturally blight resistant varieties that are available in Ireland. SPUDS is looking forward to examining the research results of the 300 growers who have cultivated naturally blight resistant varieties this summer and to tasting the potatoes at tasting fests this autumn.

Good luck to all us potato growers

Kind regards
SPUDS

Let us know when and where you will be having the taste fests?:)

Technophobe

muckyhands wrote: »

'Sarpo' peer or Maris peer?

oooops..sorry meant to say Maris of course:o

SPUDS Community Research

This is either bad journalism or I misunderstood the EPA's statement http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/farmingnews/gm_potato_trial_in_norfolk_cuts_the_mustard_1_1476542

I thought there was a 3 month period allowing for judiciary review before trials began.
Anyone Know more than me?

SPUDS Community Research

sorry cut an paste badly http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/farming-news/gm_potato_trial_in_norfolk_cuts_the_mustard_1_1476542

SPUDS Community Research

Mr Middleton sell Charlotte and Maris Peer

SPUDS Community Research

will of course publish link to results

recedite

paddy147 wrote: »

With regards what I originally posted about the decline in bees/butterflys in GM areas....


"Research on impacts of GM herbicide tolerant spring crops on farmland Biodiversity, carried out on more than 200 plots in the UK, has demonstrated worrying trends. Bees and butterflies were found to be fewer in the GM fields, as low as 68% less abundant in GM fields than in fields of conventionally grown crops. Other complex ecological relationships were found to be much impacted by the GM crops, such as a reduction in a range of pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates. Most of the Biotech industry focus in genetic engineering is based on herbicide resistance. The engineered crop is developed with a resistance to a particular herbicide, often produced by the same company that has developed the crop, so that the fields with the engineered crop can be heavily sprayed with the herbicide to kill off all other plants. This obviously has major knock on impacts in the environment, for example in herbicide residues in soil and water, and to wild flora and fauna in the landscape. The clearance of huge fields and tracts of land with powerful herbicides produces farmland devoid of wildlife, spelling disaster for already declining bird and other wildlife populations"..

Can I just point out that all the above info regarding reduced biodiversity is in relation to the spraying of a herbicide. It is not due to the crop itself being GM bred. The fact that the crop has been GM bred to be resistant to the roundup chemical is what allows the massive application of that chemical, but that is not the same as saying the GM crop in itself kills weeds and bugs.

Now moving to the potatoes; they are breeding (or "engineering in" if you like) blight resistance, not roundup resistance. That means less chemicals will be used on the crop, not more. It also means the pharma industry will not be particularly interested in sponsoring the trials. And it means more biodiversity in fields where this GM potato is grown compared to fields where fungicides are sprayed to keep blight at bay.

muckyhands

recedite wrote: »

Can I just point out that all the above info regarding reduced biodiversity is in relation to the spraying of a herbicide. It is not due to the crop itself being GM bred. The fact that the crop has been GM bred to be resistant to the roundup chemical is what allows the massive application of that chemical, but that is not the same as saying the GM crop in itself kills weeds and bugs.

Now moving to the potatoes; they are breeding (or "engineering in" if you like) blight resistance, not roundup resistance. That means less chemicals will be used on the crop, not more. It also means the pharma industry will not be particularly interested in sponsoring the trials. And it means more biodiversity in fields where this GM potato is grown compared to fields where fungicides are sprayed to keep blight at bay.

Re the GM potatoes Herbicides, Insecticides and fertilisers will still be used... (fungicides too for controls)

'Stewardship of the site will be in accordance with standard conventional practises for the cultivation of commercial potato. This relates to the application of fungicides (when required as experimental controls), insecticides, herbicides and fertilisers. '

Link to the GM notification-

http://www.gmfreeireland.org/potato/Teagasc-2012/Teagasc-GMO-potato-notification-2012.pdf

muckyhands

Just to add Glyphosate (aka roundup) is the example given of the Herbicide to be used for said GM potatoes field/crop area...

In other words this- a 'GM field/crop area' will still be adversely affected by Herbicides,...

not to mention Insecticides.....

who would have thought..... :rolleyes:

recedite

muckyhands wrote: »

Just to add Glyphosate (aka roundup) is the example given of the Herbicide to be used for said GM potatoes field/crop area...

In other words this- a 'GM field/crop area' will still be adversely affected by Herbicides,...

Yes, kind of ironic, but they intend to use roundup to destroy all the remaining spuds after the end of the trial. Not surprising though, as its a standard and very effective weedkiller. Its slightly annoying that they have no plans to release or market any of these spuds afterwards, but that is presumably down to political considerations.
However the same GM spuds are being tested in Holland and Finland, so even if Ireland bans them, it seems likely that someone will eventually smuggle in some tubers illegally.

muckyhands

Does anyone else wonder if...

Irish history, (Re GMO's- in our case- the potato)- that part of our history being The Famine in Ireland...

is posibly being used here as a platform/ marketing tool, to change public views on Genetically Modified Organisms? :mad:

They were tested elsewhere first, know the results, and are now going for Ireland, where Irish history can be utilised in their marketing strategy?????

.....