By Arbuthnot
Buckinghamshire,
United Kingdom 
Dry, floury potatoes.
Husband has grown four varieties: Arran Pilot, Pentland Javelin, Kestrel and Cara. He claims that he hasn't yet dug up Cara.
Except for the earlies almost all the potatoes he has brought in have been very white, tasteless, floury and fall to bits when cooked. I've tried mashing but they need oodles of cream and butter to moisten them; boiling with and without skins but all fall to bits; and baking in their skins. All of them seem to be the same as I've described.
Having looked up each variety on an independent assessment page, only the description of Cara fits the above description, yet husband insists, very vehemently, that Cara are still in the ground. I think he must have made a mistake but he's adamant he hasn't.
So the only thing I can think of is this year's strange weather. Has anyone else had similar trouble with potatoes?
21 Aug, 2016
Answers
Its all to do with something known as the DN ratio - the higher that is, the more floury and likely to disintegrate when cooked the potato will be. And DN ratio is higher after a dry summer, or if the potato plants get a little on the dry side. Adding humus rich material at planting time helps to avoid this, see link
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/sep/07/ask-alys-potatoes
Some people say keeping them for a week or two helps, not sure if that's true. And don't ask me what DN stands for, I've forgotten and would need to look it up...
21 Aug, 2016
Thank you, Bamboo. I went to the link and it says the same. Apparently it should be DM which stands for dry matter but the article says pretty much what you did.
Glad I know. The only trouble is we have a large sackful......
21 Aug, 2016
Try keeping them somewhere cool and dark for a while, see if it makes any difference...
21 Aug, 2016
They might be better baked than boiled.
21 Aug, 2016
Potato giblets? gosh.
22 Aug, 2016
Oh, the mind boggles. I visualize potatoes wandering round the garden looking for mates.
Talking of which I went outside yesterday and caused coitus interruptus. Two pigeons were going hammer and tongs on the fence but stopped when they saw me. I got a bad tempered squawk from the female too.
23 Aug, 2016
You sure it wasn't gratitude....?!
23 Aug, 2016
Yes Snoop I do really. It just tickled my funny bone.
23 Aug, 2016
Gratitude? Didn't think of that, Bamboo, but it could have been. It must have been a bit uncomfortable doing it on the fence.
24 Aug, 2016
;-))
24 Aug, 2016
Not this year, no. Ours (Lady Crystl and Sharpes Express) have been extremely good, Small crop, but taste and texture excellent.
We have had crops in the past which have left a lot to be desired, as likely the weather as anything.
21 Aug, 2016