Black Potatoes

[Primrose]

I have just returned from a holiday with a friend in the Shetland Islands and he gave me six chitted potatoes which he calls Shetland Blacks.
I have put them in the ground but I don't know anything about them - can anyone help ?

[Lesley Jay]

Lucky you!! Shetland Black potatoes are a heritage variety dating back to the early 1900's although the story goes that they came from a ship in the Armada. It's a second early variety with a blue / black skin, yellow flesh and a purple ring in the flesh. They are best cooked in their skins as they are very floury. You must tell us what they taste like!

[TPeers]

More to the point when you harvest keep some of the spuds as seed potato for next year - they are blimin expensive to buy!

[malcolmx]

i like to see the varieties being saved but often i am quite disappointed with older varieties in terms of flavor and cooking ability

this year i am trying pinching out the growing points of pees so they will branch and hedge up and do this about 3 times and see if the crop is better

i tried some older tomato varieties last year but they were all rubbish has any one had any real success with the older (lost) varieties ?

[Primrose]

If they are successful and you suggest keeping a few for next year - how do I store them without them going off ?

[realfood]

There is a problem in storing Shetland Black potatoes, as they are about the first potato to start sprouting, usually in January. Choose the coldest frost-free place you can find.
The crop is quite small, but they have a real potato taste and are floury. Best microwaved or steamed.

[Primrose]

Thanks for all the help. I will keep you posted on how they get on

[Primrose]

Chuffed to bits - my blacks are already poking through - only 4 out of the six as yet but it's a good sign. I only planted them less than 2 weeks ago too!!