Growing potatoes from True Potato seed.

[Jayb]

are we there yet..?

Not quite 

They are fairly easy to do Hector, a bit like sowing tomatoes, coupled together with just a bit more faffing around than planting a seed tuber.

Sounds like interesting crosses to me Robert, which will give a diverse bunch of seedlings. I'm looking forward to hearing how you get on. I'm not sure if I have any viable seed yet from my Triploid x Diploid crosses. I'm hoping I may end up with a few Skagit Magic crosses; Up To Date x SM, Sarpo Kifli xSM and Tibet x SM. I think I used Squat Orange somewhere too.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'll be interested to see whether it works as well! On general principles, if we have blight resistant varieties, then we ought to be trying to breed more and spread the genes around.

[Jayb]

I finally opened the Skagit Magic x berries; Up To Date x two seeds, one sprouting which I've sown. Sarpo Kifli, 2-3 seeds per berry I have about 10 seeds. Tibet, sadly no seeds inside the one pod I had, which is a shame as this variety held up well against late blight this year.

One plant of Tollacan Fiesta showed excellent resilence to LB. I've saved tubers and I'm hoping it does as well agian this year. It would be good to get some TPS from this one.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I wonder what pollinates potatoes, and what we can do to encourage it. Maybe hand pollination would help.

[Tasbound]

Hi everyone recently joined the site and have read this thread with interest from start to finish and just wanted to say how much much I admire the enthusiasm and dedication those of you have tried growing from TPS have shown.

[green lily]

Well this weekend I'm going to set up the incubator and see whether there's any life in the few TPS I have. I just wonder if Tom Wagner still has his offer of seeds for A4A members of whether anyone has a few seeds to spare so I have a fallback if mine are dead. I worry they were picked too soon, were soaked too long [ one site said soak for 6 days] etc. etc. Guess I'd better get going and find out...

[Jayb]

I wonder what pollinates potatoes, and what we can do to encourage it. Maybe hand pollination would help.

I think potatoes are able to self-pollinate, similarly to tomatoes though not all varieties are self-compatible. Last year I noticed bumble bees and bees were busy with potato flowers early to mid-season. Though I didn’t see many later on I guess they found something they liked better.  Also quite a few, what I think are hover flies.  I didn’t do any hand self-pollinating, but it might make all the difference with a reluctant to set variety.  I did manage several crosses which are fairly straightforward. I found it interesting that no self-pollinated Sarpo Kifli berries formed but nearly every Kifli flower I cross pollinated formed a berry.

[Jayb]

Hi everyone recently joined the site and have read this thread with interest from start to finish and just wanted to say how much much I admire the enthusiasm and dedication those of you have tried growing from TPS have shown.

Sorry I'm a bit slow catching up on this thread.
Hello and welcome to A4A Tasbound, thank you for your post, I'm glad it was of interest. If you are not already planning to can we tempt you to grow some this year 

[Jayb]

Well this weekend I'm going to set up the incubator and see whether there's any life in the few TPS I have. I just wonder if Tom Wagner still has his offer of seeds for A4A members of whether anyone has a few seeds to spare so I have a fallback if mine are dead. I worry they were picked too soon, were soaked too long [ one site said soak for 6 days] etc. etc. Guess I'd better get going and find out...

Good luck with germinating your seed green lily, I think it is quite early to be starting now, I was thinking more March onwards. But I’m very interested to know how you get on. I have sown a couple of seeds that had started to germinate in the pod as I only have about 8 seeds of that cross, although I doubt it is a desirable trait.

I’ve no idea if Tom’s offer still stands, perhaps worth asking him. I know from his web site he has been unwell for some time, hopefully well on the way to recovery now. If you don’t have success with your seeds I’ve got some available in the swap section and I think ChrisC also made an offer earlier in this thread.

[Tasbound]

Sorry I'm a bit slow catching up on this thread.
Hello and welcome to A4A Tasbound, thank you for your post, I'm glad it was of interest. If you are not already planning to can we tempt you to grow some this year 

I'd love to but juggling the allotment with work and 3 young kids I don't think I'd be able to do them justice but I'll watch with interest how you guys get on and maybe it's something for the future.

[Nigel B]

I just spent en enjoyable two cups of tea reading this thread.
I had always wondered if the seeds would produce viable potatoes, and now I know how to cross them too!
Thanks Jayb and everyone who contributed to the thread. It makes a very interesting and informative read.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I found it interesting that no self-pollinated Sarpo Kifli berries formed but nearly every Kifli flower I cross pollinated formed a berry.

Varieties vary tremendously in their willingness to produce berries; I don't know much about it but I think there may have been some selection against berries in order to divert the plant's energy to tuber production. I believe Tom selects for berries, so there should be plenty on his varieties.

[Ananke]

I really neglected the TPS that I sowed last year, I planted out two of them and then lifted them too early (I have patience issues)

This is what I have saved from the two plants...


They have lived in the salad drawer of the fridge since last summer and I took them out the other week to chit, they are doing nicely and hopefully will produce a few tubers that I can save for next year.

[Jayb]

Ananke, what is the variety of potato you saved your tps from? They look quite different sorts, I wonder how they are going to taste?

[Ananke]

These both came from the same 'tattie apple' from a Maris Piper plant.  It amazes me that every single seed in the same pod produces a genetically different potato.

I really do hope I get a good tasting spud from them. 

[green lily]

Well mine are up and going well. In fact I have rather more than I expected... ::)I've now thinned to 4 per module and although germination hasn't been even [probably because I covered the centre ones more thickly] its around 100%.[Or 150%!] So I shall more confidence in future...
I think mine are pure PFAs so whether I'll get any diversity is hard to say.
I've used a Lidl colour LED on them and the onions but am beginning to wean them off now. Now the heatings gone off they'll spend the night on the dining room table....

[Jayb]

These both came from the same 'tattie apple' from a Maris Piper plant.  It amazes me that every single seed in the same pod produces a genetically different potato.

Fantastic isn't it 

Every chance they will be tasty spuds 

[Jayb]

Sounding good Green lily 

[Nigel B]

Hmmm. It seems I must have put my last comment in the wrong thread,,,
No matter.
I sowed my own tps seeds yesterday. Indoors and under lights. Not many. Fifteen small blocks with two or three seeds each. I'll weed out the weak ones and try to keep the rest alive.
These threads are rather inspiring you know. I would probably never have tried this if I hadn't seen you folks having a bash.
Good stuff.

[green lily]

Don't weed out any unless you've far too many. slower ones often give variety and the fast ones out of the blocks could all be the same. I found germination to be way higher than I expected and had to thin to get space.. I must still have a 100 seedlings and hopefully tomorrow I'll rescue some compost from the poly to warm through so I can move them into bigger modules. I hope yours do well. The next time I have an expert on board I'll try to get some photos posted.....I'm too old to have a computer gene..
Mine seem pretty tough they were just on the windowsill all day but just bought indoors when curtains closed