Topic: Seed Potatoes

[tim]

If your plants have had blight, but most of the tubers look perfectly sound, is it worth saving some for seed?

[Suffolklad]

Isn't the important thing about seed potatoes that they are certified virus free ?

[powerspade]

I can only go on personal experience. Last year I saved some Majestic spuds for seed and panted then this year, the tubers when taken up where affected and when cut in two the inside was back as coal. So I will not be saving any more for seed in the future

[okra]

I saved some Maris Piper last year and planted some from new seed and there was no difference in the yield or quality

[star]

wITH BLIGHT HITTING US THIS YEAR i WOULDNT SAVE ANY FOR SEED FOR A GOOD 2 SEASONS (Sorry caps lock) I have saved some in past years and they have been ok.

But I agree they should be from virus free stock really.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't risk it; that's how blight survives from one year to the next. If it was clearly visible now, tha tuber wouldn't last through the winter.

[davyW]

Funny that this topic should come up, as it was the center of a conversation the other night.
I always keep sets back, but they DO NOT go back into my garden soil, they are grown in tubs and the the soil when finished is burnt (Kilned ), anyway some one said they had kept sets back for next year and i said if they are going back in your soil you are a fool because of the amount of blight we have had you are inviting trouble, it only takes one of your sets to be infected then the rest of your crops will be infected and then a lot of other people crops will be infected and you will not be a very popular person. I pointed out what i did with my sets and told all in the conversation that this year every potato that did not go the the kitchen got burnt.
Don,t take the chance, get new sets next year.

[Suffolklad]

The curious thing is that the self-set rogues that come up each year never seem to get blight.......

[tim]

Do agree about being responsible & buying sound seed, but I only have myself to think about here.

And if, by planting time, my saved tubers show no sign of deterioration, might they not be worth using?

[OllieC]

I'm with you in terms of logic, Tim, but a couple of points...

The bag of PFA seed I bought last year cost about £2.50 and was enough for 30ft. So what's the most you could save (I know, you're not in it for the money!)?

As you know, blight is often confused with being a virus, but is in fact a fungus. And as such it behaves rather differently. I've never noticed anything on seed spuds that says fungus free... Most fungi have a spell during which they "grow", and then a spell when they "bloom". Potentially, a fungus could grow away without a sign of being a problem, and then release it's spores when conditions are favourable for it (perhaps after it's been in the soil for a month or 2 next year).

We had PFA's when I was a child and saved our own each year (they were less popular then). It was in Scotland and blight was common. It didn't appear any earlier on our PFA's than on the others. We just used to cut off the haulms as soon as blight appeared.

Most importantly, if blight survives on volunteers (which is like saving your own, but in worse conditions), then why doesn't it show up on volunteers first?

More questions than answers, I'm afraid. But perhaps some food for thought?

[davyW]

I understand your problem  TIM as Pink Fir Apple are the most expensive potato to buy and one of the best to eat. If i were stuck with this problem i would keep the sets till planting time checking them regularly. If you are happy with your sets at planting time why not cut them in half to check the insides and then plant each half. Then, not only have you doubled your crop but you should be reasonably confident that none have blight.

[tim]

All grist to the mill.  £2.50 - fine, but mine are £6.95!

I'll think on't.