GardenCalendar.co.uk
OTHER POTATO PAGES
Marfona are Second Early potatoes which are hugely popular with Farm Shops which grow their own potatoes for sale. They are a true all-purpose potato (salad use included if harvested early enough) and make great mash, chips and roast potatoes.
Marfona Potatoes
The parents of Marfona are Primura and KO 51-123. It was bred in the Netherlands and first released in 1975.
If you leave them to become large enough they are a hugely reliable variety for large baked potatoes. They are definite competition for Vivaldi in this respect as far as the amateur gardener is concerned.
The skin colour is light brown and will need to be peeled (except when baking). There are some eyes but they are shallow to medium depth. The flesh is very light yellow, approaching white, and has a good, strong potato flavour - nothing watery or bland about Marfona.
Marfona Potato dug up today
Disease resistance is shown to be about average in controlled tests but purely on the basis that so many farm shops, which grow their own potatoes on site, choose Marfona as one of their varieties, I guess that in practice Marfona have very decent pest and disease resistance.
Marfona 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 Marfona 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 Marfona potatoes - it will give a more reliable crop although not absolutely necessary. Click here for our advice on how and why to chit / sprout potatoes.
The best time to plant out chitted / sprouted Marfona 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.
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 Marfona 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 Marfona potatoes can be spread over a couple of months. The most delicious "new" type potatoes should be harvested first, then a month later harvest some medium sized potatoes for roast and mashed potatoes.
Finally, when the potatoes have bulked up to your liking, they can be harvested for use as a baked potato.
Be sure to read our page on storing potatoes to get the most from your crop of Marfona potatoes.
For other second early 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