Canadian Heritage Potato Varieties – Is your favourite on the list?

9 Comments

1. 

   Lavonne Garnett March 6, 2017

   I believe that my grandparents brought a potato from Ukraine, in the late 1880s. I have had it for over 35 years. However, a disease/virus has set in after 3 years of drought, here on Vancouver Island. I think it is a Santa or Sante variety, shown on a Russian website to me by a friend from Ukraine ( http://www.ogorod.ru/ru/ogorod/potatoes/9460/Zheltye-sorta-kartofelya—chempiony-vkusa.htm ). It is a longish, yet wide, lightly yellow fleshed potato, fairly late season, long, skinny-ish stems with white flowers, and a fairly prolific producer. We like it very much, but need new stock, if we can possibly find some. My aunt tells me that they called it, “rugalke” in Ukrainian. Do you know of this potato or where we might find it for seed?

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     Will Bonsall December 11, 2017

     Lavonne, whatever you do, try to keep the variety going despite its infection. There are ways (meristematic tissue culture)by which the variety can be stored to its original vigour). One cannot assume that Sante or any other variety is a synonym until DNA testing is done. These are both expensive laboratory processes, but if you can at least keep your clone alive (assuming you haven’t already discarde it) one can go from there. Will Bonsall. willbonsall@gmail.com

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     vjh December 12, 2017

     The variety Sante, referred to in the website link provided, is not likely to be your heritage variety. It was bred in the Netherlands in 1971, according to the Canadian Seed Potato Database.

     http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/potatoes/potato-varieties/sante/eng/1312587385881/1312587385882

     So your favourite potato is still a mystery. If you have some material that you are still saving, it may be possible to get it virally cleansed. Email me directly (valerie@heritagepotato.ca) if you would like to pursue this.

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     admin December 12, 2017

     You can order Sante at Abunadhseeds.com. They also have a variety called ‘Ukrainian’ which may be closer to what you are looking for.

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     Deb Garnett October 9, 2018

     HI, I’m curious if you were able to keep your potato going? Or if you pursued the couple varieties offered at the suggested seed company.

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2. 

   Leonard Le Cerf March 11, 2017

   Where would I be able to purchase the Pink Pearl potatoes. I live east of Calgary AB

   Thank you
   Sincerely Leonard Le Cerf

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3. 

   André Bowers January 6, 2019

   I live in Newfoundland.
   A few people I know grow what they call, “ Aarons”., which after research
   Is more appropriately called ,” Aaron victors “ or “ Aaron Victories”.
   I understand they originated in Scotland , and were introduced to Newfoundland before WWII .
   They are not on your data base published here unless they go by another name I am not familiar with .
   They are purple in skin colour. I can send a photo of you are interested . I do not know if they fall under the category of Canadian heritage or not .

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     admin January 7, 2019

     Hi André,

     Thanks for the note. I would love a photo of it – are you still growing them? Are you aware of anyone selling seed potato of them? I checked a bit, and found what I believe to be information about your potato, though with a slightly different spelling “Arrans Victory.”

     Here’s is a link to an article I found online, with a photo that you could perhaps compare: https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/potatoes/variety-arran-victory.php

     There is a related variety, called Arran Consul. Description is available here: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/potatoes/potato-varieties/arran-consul/eng/1312587385639/1312587385640

     “Arran Victory” has been deposited into the Gene Repository at the Fredericton Research and Development Centre. If yours is different than this one, you may considered donating a few tubers to Fredericton as an addition to their collection and to save for future generations.

     Valerie

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4. 

   Miriam Love January 20, 2019

   I am looking for the Bliss Triumph variety of red potato and cannot seem to find a grower in the U.S. Is there a way to purchase this variety in Canada? Thank you for any information you might be able to provide.

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