Seed Potatoes from own pots -Advice needed please!

[pipscariad]

I grew two varieties of potato last year, one of which was a 'mystery' variety given to me by a friend, who got them from a potato farmer. All we knew about it was that it was a new variety. Anyway, it grew really well for me, lovely spuds and virtually no slug damage (the foliage of the others I grew were decimated by the blighters!).

Anyhow, and this is where I need your expert help and advice, I have a sack of the smallest of both left, which I ignore until I'm desperate for spuds - but when I opened it up today, they are starting to sprout ever so slightly. Can I use these as seed potatoes? I'd love to have more of these mystery pots, but as I don't know their name am a bit stumped!

Is there a size below which seed pots are unusable? The 'larger' of them are about tangerine size, but most are smaller. And if I can use them, when should I plant them?

Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I'm a bit of a beginner on all this , and I know we have some real potato experts out there

Thanks in advance!

[Two_Sheds]

I save my own Pink Firs to replant every year ... I keep them cold and dark so they don't start sprouting.
In Feb you can bring them into the light to start chitting (sprouting), and plant them in the ground around Easter.

PS. have a go with your Search button (advanced search, titles only) there are literally 1000s of threads on potato growing.

[Snadger]

Any that are green (been subjected to light) and about hens egg size are the ones I use!

[tattieman]

Put a picture up of the largest mystery potato and I will see if i can identify it for you.

[pipscariad]

Thanks for your replies. I'll move the potatoes somewhere colder then, to hold back the sprouting (it's not warm where they are, but the garage would be colder). Looks like I've got a chance, anyway. Two Sheds - I have to admit I baulked at doing a search on this, as I knew there would be thousands of threads about potatoes! Smacked wrist duly given to self

Tattieman - thanks for the ident offer, I'll try to get a picture done today. Sadly, all the larger spuds are long eaten, and the biggest one I've got is only the size of a tangerine, but they did get quite big. It might take me some time, I've not tried to load a picture on here before and technology sometimes make me have a blond and/or senior moment ! Watch this space....but not too carefully, it might be a bit like watching paint dry

[lynda66]

right i have a question ...... if you can use your own grown spuds as seed potatoes ...... what's the difference between doing that, and getting them from the shop and using those?? ....... is now confuddled.

[tattieman]

right i have a question ...... if you can use your own grown spuds as seed potatoes ...... what's the difference between doing that, and getting them from the shop and using those?? ....... is now confuddled.

Potatoes from a superstore could be treated so that they don't produce shoots and won't grow.
They can also be imported and transfer disease like brown rot that came from holland.
Using your own saved seed potatoes can work but each generation you keep and use makes the potato strain weaker. That is why we have to keep producing new potatoes via mini tubers to keep the strain of variety as strong as possible.

[tattieman]

Tattieman - thanks for the ident offer, I'll try to get a picture done today. Sadly, all the larger spuds are long eaten, and the biggest one I've got is only the size of a tangerine, but they did get quite big. It might take me some time, I've not tried to load a picture on here before and technology sometimes make me have a blond and/or senior moment ! Watch this space....but not too carefully, it might be a bit like watching paint dry

You can email me the picture if that is easier for you.

[lynda66]

Potatoes from a superstore could be treated so that they don't produce shoots and won't grow.
They can also be imported and transfer disease like brown rot that came from holland.
Using your own saved seed potatoes can work but each generation you keep and use makes the potato strain weaker. That is why we have to keep producing new potatoes via mini tubers to keep the strain of variety as strong as possible.

so if i have british potatoes and they produce shoots why is that a problem? i'm just confused by it all ....... so whats the mini tubers bit and how do you get them, surely seed potatoes that you buy must be off potatoes that have grown as a potato .... does that make sense??

[tattieman]

so if i have british potatoes and they produce shoots why is that a problem? i'm just confused by it all ....... so whats the mini tubers bit and how do you get them, surely seed potatoes that you buy must be off potatoes that have grown as a potato .... does that make sense??

You can plant your own British potatoes no problem.
Mini tubers are micropropagated in special greenhouses and are grown to keep a nucleus of pure seed potatoes for us to grow from.

[Jenegade]

Wow, potatoes are complicated!!

So, if I planted a seed potato this year it would be ok to replant some of its potatoes for the following year, but it probably wouldn't be as good the year after that? Not sure that sentence makes sense, hopefully you'll understand!

[lynda66]

gives up and goes to make a brew lol ..... thanks tattieman, i did plant loads of shop sprouted potatoes this year and got a fair crop, so i guess i'll just keep going with that .......

[tattieman]

Wow, potatoes are complicated!!

So, if I planted a seed potato this year it would be ok to replant some of its potatoes for the following year, but it probably wouldn't be as good the year after that? Not sure that sentence makes sense, hopefully you'll understand!

Yes you could probably do this for a few years and things would be fine but you do lose the strain strength.
It is like cloning a clone and then cloning the clone of a clone the genetics lose their strength.
God this is getting complicated.

[tattieman]

gives up and goes to make a brew lol ..... thanks tattieman, i did plant loads of shop sprouted potatoes this year and got a fair crop, so i guess i'll just keep going with that .......

If it works for you just carry on

[Flummery]

... so a bit like photocopying a photocopy?