Sloppy potatoes

[okra]

Our homegrown potatoes go mushy when boiled. Has anybody else had this problem and does anybody have a solution. We have been told we are not watering enough, not adding enough muck to the soil and are growing the wrong variety. Any thoughts or suggestion would be much appreciated.

[doofaloofa]

do they make good chips?

[Odsox]

It all depends on the variety.
Some varieties are "floury" and tend to break up when boiled or even totally mash
Other varieties are "waxy" which stay intact when boiled.

Waxy potatoes are good for boiled and salads and floury are good for chips, roast and mash, so you pick the variety for whatever you want to use them for.
You could always steam your potatoes instead of boiling.

[diggernotdreamer]

what variety/ies are you growing, that would give an idea of what sort of spud you are growing, I usually grow at least 12 different sorts, for the reasons Odsox gives above. I always cook my potatoes in a pressure cooker

[ojay54]

If you deny potatoes water, they tend to become hard rather than soft,or more correctly,they take ages to soften when you boil them,then go straight to mush.
As above,it's all about variety,though,the 'all round ' spuds everybody's so keen on are a poor compromise,grow 1 waxy,1 floury and one salad variety,and water well in droughts(bit of a prob in Cyprus,I grant you.)

[Green Aura]

Cyprus are famous for their red soil coated spuds, so it isn't the area. Are you trying to grow varieties that just don't grow well in that environment? The easiest thing would be to find out what locals grow, rather than trying to bend conditions to grow what you're maybe more familiar with.

[okra]

Cyprus are famous for their red soil coated spuds, so it isn't the area. Are you trying to grow varieties that just don't grow well in that environment? The easiest thing would be to find out what locals grow, rather than trying to bend conditions to grow what you're maybe more familiar with.

Think you have hit the nail on the head.

[daffodiltulip]

Are you growing them from seed potatoes or sprouting potatoes from the kitchen? I've just put some of the latter type in but I've heard that you shouldn't, although I've also heard that others manage to do so successfully. I don't know what the problem is with the ones that advise not to do it.

[doofaloofa]

Build up of viral disease is the reason you are advised to not save your own seed potatoes

[diggernotdreamer]

This year, as every other year, I will be sowing 6 bought in varieties of seed potatoes and 6 seed I have saved myself. Next year the saved seed will be last years new seed. I think as long as you don't save your own seed for too long, i.e. more than a couple of years, you should be ok, I have never had a problem doing this.