Potatoes from True Potato Seed

[maypril]

Is anyone here growing potatoes from true potato seed this year. When is the best time to sow?

Will it hurt to start them off in pots, or will that compact the roots too much for when the potatoes form?

[Jillyreeves]

Is this what you are referring to Maypril
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...into-09-a.html

I intended to try this year, but my seed pods thingys are still as green as the day I took them off my Desire plants. I think they need to ripen/go brown

[maypril]

It's worth giving them a go. I've collected my seeds from two potato apples. One was still green, and the other had darkened. Both sets of seeds looked the same when dried, so I think they are both ripe. I've sown some in modules today as a test to see if they germinate. I'll post here if they pop up.

[zazen999]

I sowed some - sorry - I cut off some slips of potato where they started to chit earlier this year [from normal shop potatoes that had sprouted in the cupboard] and placed them in roottrainers with an inch of soil on them. when I went to plant them out - I had baby potatoes [1 or 2 of them] in the roottrainer. There's photos on here somewhere.

Thus - they will grow in restricted root space.

[Jillyreeves]

I was going to throw out the potato apples, but in the spirit of GYO i will scoop out and dry the seeds instead and sow them. The tread says the best time to sow is March, so this is what I will do.

Nothing to lose by giving it a go :-)

[zazen999]

I was going to throw out the potato apples, but in the spirit of GYO i will scoop out and dry the seeds instead and sow them. The tread says the best time to sow is March, so this is what I will do.

Nothing to lose by giving it a go :-)

I sowed mine onto kitchen roll; and picked the first few to germinate. They took ages to germinate; I'd suggest trying this now to see if they are viable otherwise you'll lose lots of module space and time waiting to see if they come up or not - and March is a busy time - so just try a few and see if they do germinate.

[Jillyreeves]

I sowed mine onto kitchen roll; and picked the first few to germinate. They took ages to germinate; I'd suggest trying this now to see if they are viable otherwise you'll lose lots of module space and time waiting to see if they come up or not - and March is a busy time - so just try a few and see if they do germinate.

Is it OK to show them fresh so to speak or do I need to dry them first Zaz

[Flummery]

I dried my spud apple on the windowsill till it went brown and soft, then took our the seeds and soaked them in water as I would tomato seeds. Dried them out and then sowed in a half sized seed tray (multipurpose compost). I must have had 50 or more come through. I chose the strongets look 6 and potted them into 3" pots then when they had a good root system they went one each into big flower buckets. There's info on my blog if you want to trawl through.
Slips from shop spuds give clones - like ordinary seed potatoes. True seed gives rise to new varieties. I chose the best 2 and am just about to put them to chit for this year.

[Jillyreeves]

Thank for your the advise Flum, I have already read your blog relating to your potato seed trial, interesting results.

I am going to split my apples later today and seed save :-)

[Jillyreeves]

Seed saved, split open four apples, must be at least a hundred seeds. Soaking in a jar of water now, but how long should they soak for? Flum help please :-)

[tattieman]

I am sure that you can put the seed pods into a food processor with some water and then drain the mix through a kitchen sieve. They are done when they are green. I have a whole book about doing it somewhere if I can find it.
The seeds as Flummery says are how we start new varieties.

[zazen999]

Jilly - in case Flum doesn't come back for a while - you usually soak tomato seeds for 3 days to get rid of the gunk that inhibits growth. You rinse the water out every day. I strain mine through a tea strainer and wash them back in the jar into fresh water every day.

[Jillyreeves]

Thank you Zaz and Tattieman :-)

[Flummery]

Aye, a couple of days does it - then strain through a fine sieve to wash out any gunk. Then I dry them on a plate - they stick to paper.

[Jillyreeves]

Thank you Flum for keeping me on track :-)

Got to say I am very excited about this experiment :-)