Potatoes - Heather
An unreliable yielder in pots; some plants do not seem to prosper
and produce weak, spindly growth; others strong, heavy haulms. Yield
around 1.25 lbs. Very similar in texture to Golden
Wonder; very high dry matter; floury, good for frying. However,
reluctant to chit and consequently difficult to grow early in the
season. Jack Dunnett variety - dull purple skins.
Jack Dunnett describes it as a token variety; an example of a
visually distinct class of industrial potato which he campaigned for
unsuccessfully in the past. He also suggested a few years ago that it
might be useful
in developing pharmaceuticals by genetic engineering - the genetic
"marker" of purple skin rendering it distinct and therefore a way
of keeping it out of the domestic food chain.
Since then, anti-GM feeling has grown, especially
in Europe, and growing genetically engineered plants capable of
crossing with wild types seems to be a political no-go area.
I wonder what the future will bring.
No pictures yet. I don't often grow this.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Flowers
Tubers
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
