Seed Potatoes for 2024

[smallblueplanet]

Not bought my Charlottes yet!…I need to shake a leg!

Get some Nicola they're just as nice!

[Penellype]

Does anyone else save their own seed potatoes? I started saving mine in 2020 during lockdown and although I was dubious at first, I haven't had any problems. The Lady C that I am currently chitting are direct descendants of seed potatoes bought in 2019 and last year's crop was a record for that variety. In contrast I decided to buy new Desiree 2 years ago but found that it made little difference to the yield.

[Snoop Puss]

^Charles Dowding saves his own potatoes and swears by it.

I wish I'd save some Dunluce first earlies. Impossible to get hold of in recent years, but they were amazing here. Better than any other first earlies I've tried since.

[Andraste]

Thanks Ameno - we've only got 7 to plant so I'm up for giving them a try. We're prepared now for not being keen & will have our tried & tested varieties for the bulk of the bed.

Thanks Snoop Puss - we plan to measure up the beds at the weekend (fingers crossed for the weather) so that we can work out exactly how many we have room for. If there's space then the Pent. Javs. might get a reprieve

Penellype we've not tried saving our own yet but my understanding is that repeatedly saving is thought to increases risk of disease but I wonder who first decided that (a seed spud seller maybe, or is that too cynical). One of the longstanding plotters on our site saves his own every year with no signs of any problems (like over 10 years or probably more). Another plotter saves for one or two years then buys new the following year to be on the safe-side & he's had no issues either. I guess a good rule-of-thumb/common sense approach would be to make sure you save from your best, healthy disease-free harvest & not risk saving from anything that didn't perform well, got blighted etc. With the cost of seed spuds it's got to be worth thinking about at least saving on alternate years. I wonder if we could also effectively be breeding our own super-spud for our specific conditions (a bit like other saved seed - beans, garlic etc. - evolving itself to suit)?

[Nicos]

Penellype I’ve saved a few English spuds over the years like King Edwards which I can’t find over here but I have to be really careful how I store them as they seem to be rat magnets

[peanut]

I'm hoping to use my own saved nicola and anya as seeds for the first time this year.

[nick the grief]

Our plans have 'evolved' slightly in response to OH being left to shop alone & nick the grief filling my head with dreams of Pembs earlies lol. Fortunately we've re-jigged the bed extension plans again so have a little more room :cool .....

You're welcome Kestrel are OK they are very popular with people who show potatoes as they look amazing when they are polised up.

ntg

[nick the grief]

I'm hoping to use my own saved nicola and anya as seeds for the first time this year.

Anya are virtually unobtainable as far as I can see. I've tried for about 3 years now and they've always been crop failed ... But surprisingly Albert Bartlett ( who own the breeders rights to Anya) seem to be able to supply Sainsbury's

ntg

[peanut]

Anya are virtually unobtainable as far as I can see. I've tried for about 3 years now and they've always been crop failed ... But surprisingly Albert Bartlett ( who own the breeders rights to Anya) seem to be able to supply Sainsbury's

ntg

They are available onEbay Nick, I can't vouch for the seller though. Ebay link shortened as it went on forever!

http://tinyurl.com/3r3nnsk2

[nick the grief]

They are available onEbay Nick, I can't vouch for the seller though. Ebay link shortened as it went on forever!

http://tinyurl.com/3r3nnsk2

I suspect he's been to sainsburys peanut ... I tried to buy some strawberry plants once off fleabay and after 2 month I reported it to ebay and got my money back with no word from the seller ... who are still selling now so I wouldn't bother unless I know who it is. and at £1 a spud I don't think I'll bother

[Nicos]

yippee!…I finally bought my Charlotte seed potatoes

[rary]

Bought some seed potatoes the other day, I went for Rocket and Caledonian Pearl, had never came across the latter but it felt and looked a good potato, and now going through this thread I see SBP gives a good description of them so will be planting in tubs today

[Containergardener]

I'm doing the CP too , be interesting to see what they're like.

Mine are still chitting

[Andraste]

Bought our Charlottes today

[Containergardener]

Trying to decide whether to grow in the big bags or just in pots