new boy growing spuds

[pip1954]

hi
i have been watching from the sidelines great forum i have a small plot with a greenhouse 8x6 first year of growing will post pic's and more blog later anyway,
what i wondered was my potatoes i can't remember the type(scotish) i know they are lates they are growing well started flowering with what looks like small tomatos on the top
is that normal?.
can you explain.
thanks keep posting very useful
pip

[Capsid]

The potato is related to the tomato, the green tomatoes you see are the fruits of the potato plant like they are on tomatoes. But do not eat them as they are poisonous.

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine pip (1954 was a vintage year wasn't it!)

Some of us are experimenting with growing potatoes from the seeds contained within these 'tattie apples'

Have a look at Duronals potato experiment if you are interested!

[bluemoon]

Basically the potato has two ways of ensuring it grows in future years; it produces tubers, which are genetically identical to the parent plant, and the fruits, which are the result of cross pollination and therefore will be genetically different. If you want to grow a particular variety then you need to plant the tubers (seed potatoes). New varieties arise if you sow the seeds from the fruits, which may or may not be an improvement upon the parent strain (hence the experiment).

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine. I think your spud query has been comprehensively covered so I will shut up now