Am I mad to even think of it ?

[newbieveggie]

Hi there, I am a real newbie to veg growing. I found in my garage a bag of spuds bought for a roast but only half used and forgotten which have self chitted. I haven't a clue what type they are as the bag is devoid of info. All i know is that same sort of spuds were for sale at Christmas and they are still for sale.Now I fancy bunging them in the garden to see what happens but any idea when they would be ready ? Anything to look for etc ? Many thanks font of all knowledge. x

[The Nichols']

Basically, yes, you are mad. Seed potatoes are just that, potatoes specifically for a crop.

While you could grow from these, results would be unpredictable at best and, in all likelyhood, even if they did grow, they'd be small and not the best tasting.

[gardenplot]

I would personally buy seed potatoes to plant, not sure what kind of Pests & Diseases you would get if you grow potatoes that you get from supermarkets they could carry more spores of bacteria and fungal pests

[smallblueplanet]

The risk from planting 'supermarket' spuds is that they might be carrying disease. I see no reason why the crop should be 'unpredictable, small or not the best tasting'. Lots of people on the Vine grow spuds that aren't from specific 'seed spuds'. I shall be doing just that with some more unusual salad spuds sold by our local organic veg scheme.

If you're worried about the spuds having disease grow them in containers to keep the soil seperate.

[veg4681]

Personally I'd only grow them (compulsorily in containers in case of pest & disease) if you can remember that those potatoes aren't the most ordinary potato like your value range or that they came in very big pack/sack?? = ordinary pots. They're so tasteless, it's a shame to put an effort growing them. Don't be tempted just because they're sprouting. I know because lately I've been trying named variety potatoes from supermarket and there is a MASSIVE taste difference.

[shirlthegirl43]

Try one in a bucket or huge flowerpot - it will give you the experience of growing spuds even if the crop isn't brilliant or the best tasting. If you don't want to splash out much dosh on the project, buy a cheap growbag and use the soil from that. Plant the sprouting spud low in the container, water well, wait for it to flower (or wait around 12 weeks) then have a 'broggle' (nice word for grope) and see what is there.

[vegnut]

I agree with the above. Shove them in bags or containers and let them do their thing. You could always pull them up early, and have some small potatoes, which are always tastier than the biggies. Good luck either way.

[Snadger]

I am trying out a theory this year that big tatties make big tatties! Last year I clamped my Desiree pots and I'm still eating them now. There were a few which had the tell tale slug damage which I just couldn't chuck out cos they were BIG tatties.
I've just recently come across those big tatties which I'd secreted in a cupboard in my shed and they have just started to sprout.
I am going to plant a row of these bruisers to see if the spuds I get off them have a bigger average size than my normal Desiree seed spuds!

Rightly or wrongly ...........the experiment goes on!

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine NewbieVeggie. I'd agree with most of the above. Try growing a few in a bucket and see how they go. Great experience for you with nothing to loose. Good luck.

[pukka.tukka]

Hi

I know you should buy seed potatoes because of the risk of disease, but I found some of the potatoes I had grown last year from seed in a cupboard and I am growing them in pots in the greenhouse at the moment and they seem to be doing fine.

I suppose growing them in pots I can contain any disease that may occur.

Of course I have also brought seed potatoes for the Lotty because I just can not resist potato shopping for me it marks the start of the season.

[terrier]

I am trying out a theory this year that big tatties make big tatties! Last year I clamped my Desiree pots and I'm still eating them now. There were a few which had the tell tale slug damage which I just couldn't chuck out cos they were BIG tatties.
I've just recently come across those big tatties which I'd secreted in a cupboard in my shed and they have just started to sprout.
I am going to plant a row of these bruisers to see if the spuds I get off them have a bigger average size than my normal Desiree seed spuds!

Rightly or wrongly ...........the experiment goes on!

Whether the spuds are big or small, the sprouts are more or less the same size and that's what creates the plant. I would have thought the growing conditions and the type of potato decided the outcome rather than the size of the original spud. There again I'm probably talking through my hat If you're right, Snadger, I'm saving all my biggies this year.

[Snadger]

I'm with you on this thought terrier, so we can both do hat-talking

Selective breeders sometimes breed to impove size, among other things, by using there biggest plants for seed or vegetative reproductionn the following year(Kelsae onions or Robinsons Improved onions to name a few) That's all I'm hoping to do.........a selective breeding experiment!

[shirlthegirl43]

I will be very interested in the outcome of your experiment Snadger. The seed potatoes from T&M that I got this year (Edzell Blue) are the weeniest spuds I have ever seen. It will be interesting to compare crops. Easier for me to calculate weight of spuds per seed potato as they are all container grown.

[Eyren]

Whether the spuds are big or small, the sprouts are more or less the same size and that's what creates the plant. I would have thought the growing conditions and the type of potato decided the outcome rather than the size of the original spud. There again I'm probably talking through my hat If you're right, Snadger, I'm saving all my biggies this year.

I've also heard that you should use the biggest ones. I suppose there are two possibilities:

1. A bigger seed potato contains more reserves of energy to pump into making shoots, which means stronger growth and thus more/bigger tubers

2. You are effectively selecting for individuals that were capable of producing large tubers, so the odds are you will get bigger spuds than from a small seed potato

Could be either, or both!

[zazen999]

I've also heard that you should use the biggest ones. I suppose there are two possibilities:

1. A bigger seed potato contains more reserves of energy to pump into making shoots, which means stronger growth and thus more/bigger tubers

2. You are effectively selecting for individuals that were capable of producing large tubers, so the odds are you will get bigger spuds than from a small seed potato

Could be either, or both!

Simple genetics; I applied the same approach when looking for my OH.