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The parents of the International Kidney potato variety (also known as Jersey Royal) are unknown. The story of their origin is that in 1878 a Jersey resident and farmer, Hugh de la Haye, bought a large potato from a local shop.
Presumably this large potato was harvested as a maincrop, rather than a first or second early, which would explain its large size.
Hugh and his friends cut the potato up, each section with an eye on it, and planted each section in a field near the Bellozanne Valley are in Jersey.
One of the original sections survived to produce the original Jersey Royal Fluke (later shortened to just Jersey Royal). A small kidney shaped potato with the thinnest of skins and a delightful taste and texture.
To call a potato a 'Jersey Royal' it needs to have been grown in Jersey. But the same variety is available for everyone - the International Kidney.
International Kidney / Jersey Royal Potato
International Kidney (Jersey Royal) can be classified as a first early, second early or main crop variety. All three harvesting times produce a decent potato. However, they are definitely at their best as first or second earlies and that is how they are sold in the shops.
They are a waxy potato with a firm texture. This is one of the reasons that they one of the very best salad potatoes (warm or cold) and they make the one of the finest for potato salad.
They can be left in the ground for longer but the begin to turn floury and will break up very easily when boiled. Additionally, this variety is very prone to late blight when left to mature fully, so harvesting as a first / second early avoids this.
The flesh is an attractive light yellow colour, the taste and texture is top class. Disease resistance is below average but and when harvested at the ideal time blight should not be a problem. They do however have significant resistance to scab.
International Kidney potatoes should be grown in the normal manner for Second Early potatoes. Click here for our detailed page about growing potatoes. The advice applies to growing potatoes in containers as well as in open ground.
The best time to chit / sprout International Kidney potatoes is the first week of March in average areas of the UK.
Sprouted Seed Potatoes
Being a Second Early variety it is well worth chitting / sprouting International Kidney potatoes - it will give a more reliable crop although it is not absolutely necessary. Click here for our advice on how and why to chit / sprout potatoes.
The best time to plant out chitted / sprouted International Kidney potatoes is about the first week of April in average areas of the UK.
Planting out on this date will give the chitted / sprouted potatoes about four 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.
Flower of International Kidney
Potatoes
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.
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 International Kidney potatoes in second week of July 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 two weeks and try again.
Harvesting International Kidney potatoes can be spread over three to four weeks. Be sure to read our page on storing potatoes to get the most from your crop of potatoes.
Nicola and Wilja are other Second Early potato varieties which have similar properties. For other second earlies potatoes we have tested, select one from the drop down list below.
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