GardenCalendar.co.uk
OTHER POTATO PAGES
The Maris Piper potato variety was first introduced in the UK in 1966 and by 1980 it had become the most widely grown potato variety in the UK. To this date it is still the most commercially successful potato variety in the UK.
It was bred primarily to incorporate resistance to Potato Cyst Nematode Globodera rostochiensis, a pest which was causing significant damage to commercial potato crops in the 1940s and 1950s.
Maris Piper Potato
After a breeding program which lasted several decades, it was given approval by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany.
The parents of Maris Piper are (CPC 1673 x Ulster Knight) x (Arran Cairn x Herald).
Maris Piper is a Maincrop potato variety which produces a very good crop of average sized oval potatoes of similar sizes. The skin is firm (it definitely needs to be peeled for most uses) and the flesh is cream coloured. It is good for roasted potatoes, chips, mash - basically everything except as a salad potato.
Maris Piper potatoes have below average disease resistance and can suffer from dry rot, blight, powdery scab, common scab, slugs and some forms of eelworm. The plants are taller than average so are not suited to growing in windy areas.
Maris Piper potatoes should be grown in the normal manner for Maincrop potatoes. Click here for our detailed page about growing potatoes. We wouldn't advise growing them in containers.
Main crop potatoes like Maris Piper benefit little, if at all, from chitting. However, if you really do want to chit this variety, the best time is the first week of March in average areas of the UK. Comprehensive details about how to chit potatoes can be found here.
Sprouted Seed Potatoes
The best time to plant out Maris Piper potatoes is about the first week of April in average areas of the UK.
Planting out on this date will give the seed potatoes about six weeks before they reach the surface of the soil. Whilst they are growing towards the soil surface the sprouts will be protected from frost by the surrounding soil.
By the time they do appear above the soil, the danger of frost will have passed and the sprouts will not be damaged by frost. Comprehensive details about how to plant out potatoes can be found here.
As with all vegetables, the time for harvest is dependent on many factors such as the weather conditions while they are growing and the general soil conditions.
On average however you can expect to start harvesting Maris Piper potatoes in mid to late August in average areas of the UK.
Using the above date as a guide we would advise that a week before that date you use your hand to search through the soil to harvest one or two potatoes. The term often used for this activity is known in gardening circles as "furtling"!
It does almost no damage to the remaining potatoes but allows you to examine one or two of the potatoes to ensure they are of approximately the correct size. If they are, start harvesting, if not wait for one or two weeks and try again.
Maris Piper flower
Harvesting Maris Piper potatoes can be spread over three to four weeks and they can be stored successfully for a couple of months in the correct conditions. Comprehensive details about how to harvest and store potatoes can be found here.
An obvious competitor to Maris Piper potatoes is King Edward potatoes which is nearly as versatile although they taste quite as good, if not better. For other maincrop potatoes we have tested select one from the drop down list below.
OTHER POTATO PAGES
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
CONCERNING THIS PAGE, ENTER THEM BELOW.
WE WILL ANSWER ON
THIS PAGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE