Full Answer
Are Jersey Royals and seed potatoes the same thing?
The seed potatoes you have bought are called International Kidney and are said to be the same stock as those used for Jersey Royals. However, there is more to flavour than the variety alone.
Can you grow potatoes on Jersey?
Jersey Royals have been grown on Jersey for 140 years. Today there are approximately 20 island farmers who grow Jersey Royals, many of whom grow potatoes and no other crops. The potatoes are grown on approximately 16,500 vergees (approx. 7,300 acres).
Do Jersey Royals grow on Jersey?
Jersey Royals have been grown on Jersey for over 140 years. Today there are approximately 20 island farmers who grow Jersey Royals, many of whom grow potatoes and no other crops.
Is it possible to buy just a few seed potatoes?
I think that is entirely likely! My advice to newbies is to try to find somewhere that sells seed potatoes loose, and then buy just a few of each variety that you think you might like, grow them and then have a tasting test and make some decisions for the next year.
Can you get Jersey Royal seed potatoes?
Unlike other common varieties of potatoes, clean, virus-reduced Jersey Royal seed is not available 'off the shelf'. The Jersey Royal has to manage all of its own seed stocks, and in order to create a rolling 9,000 tonne seed stock it has taken 6 years to develop.
What seed potatoes are like Jersey Royals?
The International Kidney potato is the variety which, when grown on Jersey, is more commonly known as Jersey Royals. Key to this variety, when grown as a new potato, is the extremely thin skin which is kept on when boiled.
When can you buy Jersey Royal potatoes?
Jersey Royal potato season usually runs from March through to July, with the peak of the season being in May, when Jersey can export as much as 1,500 tonnes of potatoes per day.Sep 13, 2018
Can you grow your own Jersey Royals?
The very earliest crops are planted in December in glasshouses or polytunnels. Jersey Royals are planted by hand, taking special care to make sure that the shoots are placed uppermost to ensure even and early emergence. The earliest outdoor fields planted are the very steep south facing coastal slopes called côtils.
When can you buy seed potatoes UK?
January is the time to buy seed potatoes, but with so many varieties out there, it's worth knowing which ones have the best flavour and biggest harvests. To help you decide, we grew and taste-tested 12 varieties.Dec 2, 2019
What has happened to Jersey Royal potatoes?
Jersey Royals (never call them Jersey Royal potatoes) are still grown on small plots in much the way they have been grown for the past 120 years, using local vraic seaweed as a natural fertiliser, which adds to the taste.Jul 5, 2017
Which supermarket is selling Jersey Royal potatoes?
Tesco Jersey Royal Potatoes 1Kg.
Do Aldi sell Jersey Royal potatoes?
The Jersey Royal Company Jersey Royal New Potatoes 1kg | ALDI.
Why don t Jersey Royals taste like they used to?
Actually, they didn't. The story is a European Union myth. Ian Cleave holidayed in Jersey last year and raised the question of taste. “Our guide agreed the special taste had been partially lost because they are now grown under plastic.”May 12, 2014
Can Jersey Royals be grown anywhere?
The International Kidney potato is the variety which, when grown on Jersey, is more commonly known as Jersey Royals. International Kidney can be grown anywhere in the world with the correct conditions however Jersey claims to have some very specific conditions which make potatoes grown on their soil very special.
Why are Jersey potatoes called Royal?
"They were named after the Benest Variety [of Royal] which was taken over 80 years ago by Jersey people," said Francois. As well as being one of the islands biggest agricultural exports, between April and July they're also one of the main talking points.Jan 25, 2010
How do you store Jersey Royal potatoes?
When it comes to Jersey Royals you should store them in a cool, dark place as putting them in the fridge turns the starch to sugar, making them lose much of their signature flavour. Simply wash off the excess dirt from the potatoes rather than peeling or scraping them.May 8, 2017
Kristen Under gardener
Yes, I am sure that for any variety there are "fans" - otherwise the seed companies would stop producing them for sure! - I didn't mean to imply otherwise.
Steve R Soil Furtler
If you compare International Kidney with Jersey Royals, then there is no comparison..the Jersey's win hands down every time because of how you have already documented, how they are grown. I wonder if poll answers reflect that difference and hence then, dissapointment in the Int Kid?
Steve R Soil Furtler
I'm six miles from the coast here, I wonder if I should collect some seaweed and try that as a mulch on some of mine this year, what do you think?
Kristen Under gardener
I wonder if poll answers reflect that difference and hence then, dissapointment in the Int Kid?
Phil A Guest
I'm six miles from the coast here, I wonder if I should collect some seaweed and try that as a mulch on some of mine this year, what do you think?
Kristen Under gardener
Can I just add that if you plant Charlotte again in August, you can be eating new potatoes for Christmas Dinner. Well, I would have, but I thought the blight had destroyed them, only dug them up a few days ago.
Phil A Guest
I had to go back & have a look, as i'd forgotten what variety i'd sown:DOH: You can see i've even got the tinies out.
Where are Jersey Royal potatoes grown?
Jersey Royal potatoes are only grown on the island of Jersey and have received an EU Protected Designation of Origin for their unique cultivation habits. Over half of the island’s land was once used for agriculture, and the tubers have been cultivated for 140 years, primarily grown on sloped fields known as cotils. These steep fields are situated along the coast, providing ample amounts of sunshine, salty breezes, and a mild climate to produce the sweet, earthy tubers. Jersey growers also use a local seaweed known as vraic to fertilize the fields, an ingredient that many farmers attribute to the potato’s unique flavor. When Jersey Royals are ready for harvest, they are often gathered by hand to protect the potato’s thin, delicate skin. The island farms can produce up to 1,500 tonnes of potatoes per season, and once picked, the tubers can be packed and exported to British markets in less than 24 hours.
What is Jersey Royal Potato?
Jersey Royal potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are a rare, new potato variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The small, kidney-shaped tuber was first discovered growing as a natural mutation on the island of Jersey and was selected for cultivation, creating an exclusive partnership with Great Britain. In the height of the variety’s commercial success in the 20th century, Jersey Royal potatoes were the earliest variety to appear in British markets and were favored for their unique flavor, which was solely created by the delicate microclimate of Jersey. This specialized climate led the variety to obtain an EU Protected Designation of Origin, and the tubers were nicknamed “the champagne of potatoes” in reference to the fierce protection surrounding the standards and quality associated with the variety, similar to the way champagne is protected in France. In the modern-day, Jersey Royal potato production has declined due to the loss of viable agricultural land on the island and through increased competition of earlier potato varieties being imported from other countries into British markets.
