By Justvera
Worcester, United Kingdom
Seed Potatoes .
I have tried to grow seed potatoes from the tiny seed heads which were on my plants last year.Can anyone tell me the correct way to do this ?
My experimental results are not good ! I have straggly long tops that look more like a trailing plant.I tried this in the unheated greenhouse,in pots.I have just transplanted them into the ground,just to see if they might do something interesting later on,but I would really like to know the correct method.
- 12 Jul, 2011
Answers
Thank you Moon growe,but how do you keep those small potatoes that you want to use as seed,from shriveling up looking unuseable ? when you buy seed potatoes they seem to be very firm and quite fresh.
12 Jul, 2011
Most often they have been stored in warehouses with carefully controlled temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels, then had the rotten or shrivelled ones removed before shipping. Bulbaholic tells me that growing seed potatoes is quite a skilled operation. Growing potatoes from the seed heads will give you quite a genetic variety, but only one out of a thousand is likely to make a good crop of usable potatoes. A few may even revert to the little raspberry shaped ones that the descendants of the Incas call "potato make young bride weep"--just imagine peeling the bumpy thing!! : D
12 Jul, 2011
Thank you for your replies. I had hoped to discover a cheaper way to get seed potatoes .It isn't though,just to save the money,it is the enjoyment of experimenting.
13 Jul, 2011
You can keep some of your own small potatoes back, at least from the main crop. Store them somewhere cool and dry and away from mice and the like. If you grow some of the heritage type potatoes you have to do this every year.
13 Jul, 2011
Sorry you are wasting your time. Seed potatoes are small actual potatoes that you save to plant the following year. Please do not consider growing potatoes from seed!
12 Jul, 2011