Basic Question

[Hector1]

From reading crosses folks have made it seems in some instances folks are crossing Ellie's or second Earle's with main crops. Usually they would flower at different times?
Do you guys start them off at same time to try to promote simultaneous flowering?

[jayb]

I haven't had much success getting first earlies to set seed, many seem to be fickle 'flowerers', often the buds don't fully form and drop before opening. They have been bred to produce tubers in the earliest possible time, I think flower production and ability to set seed, generally don't run hand in hand with first earlies. The flowers I have managed to pollinated haven't gone on to develop pods, but I've only grown a small selection of early potatoes, others might be different. I've found second earlies give better results, but again some are shy at flowering/setting.

I tend to plant all of my varieties together and often there is a fair overlap in flowering times which allows for crossing.