what are seed potatoes.

[cheops]

Just wondering folks - just what is the difference between a seed potato and one sold just for eating? [apart from the price of course. ) I know ordinary potatoes sold anywhere will start to sprout if left uneaten but if planted would it grow and produce lots of new potatoes as a seed potato would? Thanks.

[Bramble_killer]

a seed potato is one that's been selected and is certified virus free. You can grow from potatoes sold for eating, lots of people do and you'll still get a crop. Sometimes, the potato sold for eating are sprayed with stuff to stop them sprouting.

[valmarg]

When you grow potatoes, they eventually flower, and set seed. A seed potato is a potato that has been grown from those seeds.

You can grow potaotes from any commercially bought potato, and usually get a good crop.


valmarg

[OllieMartin]

I got all these from a sprouted pack from Netto last year:



I planted 2 2m rows, not sure how many potatoes.

[cheops]

Well thx for all that info. Interesting stuff. Since I started growing potatoes three years ago have always bought seed potatoes but next year will try growing from ordinary potatoes sold for eating once i see that they are going to sprout. If one is not too fussy about variety makes you wonder why people would pay a lot more for seed potaoes. Thanks again folks.

[zazen999]

Well thx for all that info. Interesting stuff. Since I started growing potatoes three years ago have always bought seed potatoes but next year will try growing from ordinary potatoes sold for eating once i see that they are going to sprout. If one is not too fussy about variety makes you wonder why people would pay a lot more for seed potaoes. Thanks again folks.

We pay alot because of blight.

[Snadger]

I may be wrong, and no doubt Tattieman will correct me if so but.......

I think certified seed potatoes are grown mainly in Scotland because there is less of an aphid problem?
Aphids spread virus from plant to plant, so theoretically, no aphids means no spread of virus...........hence Certified virus free seed tatties.

[Bramble_killer]

I thought I remember reading something from last year
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oes_33258.html

The whole allotment's potatoes were contaminated as someone planted potatoes that had a virus. It's not a risk I'm willing to take in my small back garden.

[womble]

I thought I remember reading something from last year
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oes_33258.html

The whole allotment's potatoes were contaminated as someone planted potatoes that had a virus. It's not a risk I'm willing to take in my small back garden.

That was down to contaminated manure in the end.

I know I've heard experts talk about this often and it's in most books, but I've never heard about it happening first hand.

[Flummery]

Any potato can be called a seed potato - if you use it for growing spuds.
Not all potatoes flower and set seed - setting seeds uses energy the growers want to be used for bulking up tubers, so varieties are now in abundance that never set seed.

True potato seed produces different potatoes from the parent. Seed potatoes produce a clone of the parent.

I always buy seed potatoes to avoid disease - except for the ones I have grown from true seed - which I saved in the fridge drawer over winter.

[Jeanied]

That was down to contaminated manure in the end.

I know I've heard experts talk about this often and it's in most books, but I've never heard about it happening first hand.

Hate to disagree on this one Womble but re- reading the thread it ended up being a virus disease. I've copied the sentence from the OP.

The test results came back from Marshalls and has shown that the potatoes are suffering from leaf curl virus originating in India.

I was just about to plant 4 sprouted Rooster potatoes on my plot - but I won't now: they are going in the bin.

I am wondering what happens to potato peelings and such in the compost, if this virus stays in the soil for more than a year and spreads like wildfire via aphis.

[womble]

Hate to disagree on this one Womble but re- reading the thread it ended up being a virus disease. I've copied the sentence from the OP.

The test results came back from Marshalls and has shown that the potatoes are suffering from leaf curl virus originating in India.

Oh right I missed that, I was talking to her and I'm sure she said it was down to the manure in the end. I'll ask her.

[jacob marley]

To help you understand Cheops What happens is that the grower starts with the cleanest seed that he can .
And when the crops is growing usualy at altitude if posible they are sprayed for every thing known to man .
When harvested they are stored in cool conditions until they are sorted 4 ways .
The largest are the ones you see in supermarkets as Bakers.
The next size down is what is called Ware that is what is sold in the shops for us to eat.
The next size down is the seed which you plant for growing on your plot .
And the last size are the smallest of the lot they used to be fed to pigs but now they are sold in supermarkets as Baby potato's??? thaat is just about it i hope this helps...jacob

[Rocketron]

When you grow potatoes, they eventually flower, and set seed. A seed potato is a potato that has been grown from those seeds.

You can grow potaotes from any commercially bought potato, and usually get a good crop.


valmarg

Ive never heard that before. Without meaning to be disrespectful, can you provide a source for this information ?

[valmarg]

Perceived wisdom. Or, that's the way I always understood it had been been done.

When you buy seed potatoes they are the tubers of potatoes that have been grown from seed.

I did also say in my post that you can grow a successful crop from potatoes that you have bought from a supermarket, etc.

When you go in to a garden centre and see the racks of 'seed potatoes', theoretically, and hopefully they should have been grown by my aforementioned method.

You pays your money and you takes your choice. All I was saying was the theory of seed potatoes.

I'm sure there are others on this site who will tell me I could be mistaken/right.

valmarg