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Potatoes 'Monalisa'

Potatoes 'Monalisa'

Product number: 406364.1
Origin: Europe
Latin: Solanum tuberosum

ORGANICALLY GROWN POTATOES. (1980) This Dutch variety is the standard in France for a specific type: oval-shaped tubers, yellow skin and flesh, very shallow eyes making them attractive to look at and process. The yield of this rather firm variety is large and the taste exceptionally good! Are there any drawbacks? The only ones we found: moderate storage life and susceptibility to bruising... You can plant them early, as Monalisa can tolerate a light frost. Drought is not a problem, so cultivation in the subtropics will also be successful; they are very popular there!

MID-EARLY ORGANIC VARIETY FOR GOURMETS.
A mid-early variety means it can be harvested from August onwards. You can speed this up by a few weeks by planting earlier. Planting time is from mid-April, when the soil is warm enough. Pre-sprouting in the light or in a large pot can be done earlier. Do not plant them in too wet a spot, but in full sun. Mid-early varieties can suffer from the dreaded potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). Some preventive measures include: spacious planting, fertilizing with patentkali, do not spray water on the plant, and possibly organic spraying with sulfur or silinal. The average planting distance is 70x40 cm; we recommend 80x40 cm to prevent diseases.

Names:
Latin: Solanum tuberosum
Dutch: Aardappel
Also known as: Monalisa potato
English: Potato

Planting time:

April
May

Soil type:

All soil types

Location:

Flower colour: Light purple with white accents
Average growth height: 60 to 90 cm
Bulb / tuber size: 35/45
Attractive to insects: N/A
Annual or perennial: Perennial
Winter hardy: Moderately frost hardy
Origin: Europe
Ease of cultivation: Moderate

Latin: Solanum tuberosum
Dutch: Potato
Also known as: Mona Lisa potato
English: Aardappel

“These potatoes don’t taste like they used to…” Does that lament sound familiar? Perhaps you lived (and tasted!) more intensely in the past, but when it comes to those old forgotten varieties, we have good news for you: they’re back, those spuds of yesteryear! Old varieties from before 1950 with unique flavours, special colours, and unfamiliar shapes. How wonderful it would be if all these historical varieties were available on a special shelf at the greengrocer… but for now, you’ll have to grow them yourself (or have them grown) for this “new” culinary journey of discovery. Just a culinary tip: because of their special colour or shape, don't peel them, but clean them thoroughly and cook them whole; often, the colour is retained after cooking – presentation matters, doesn't it? In the English tradition, harvested potatoes are neatly cleaned and displayed in baskets. You could further enhance this harvest presentation with unusual cucumbers, multi-coloured chard, pumpkins, red kale, blue corn: browse our seed guides for all those special (old but now trendy) vegetables. Potatoes that have been displayed for a while will slowly turn green and are then no longer edible. For the grower, it’s important to know that these old varieties are more susceptible to disease: plant them with ample space and keep a close eye on them. A fun tip: just plant at least 5 varieties, they are packed in small portions (1 kg), and place a clear sign with each separate variety. Cook and judge them separately, make it a “Van Gogh Potato Eaters Feast”… Do you know a “forgotten” variety? Let us know. All that remains is to wish you a very good harvest and (for later): bon appétit!