Topic: potato "pods"?

[1 of 5]

Hi
This is the first year on our allotment and we are still finding our feet as we go along.

On one of our rows of potatoes (not sure what variety they are) there are what look like small seed pods (they actually look like small green tomatoes) Does anyone know what they are and what do we do with them - leave them on there or take them off?

Love this forum - my fellow plotholders think I'm a gardening genius with the hints and tips I pick up off of here!

[dtw]

They are the fruits of the potato plant, I believe they are poisonous.

I don't know if anybody has tried sowing the seeds though.

[Kepouros]

They are indeed the seeds of the potato, and they are indeed poisonous.

If you wish to try growing potatoes from the seed pods split the pods and soak in a bowl of water for 24 hours, during which time the viable seed will float loose.  It should then be stored until spring.

You will need a greenhouse to germinate the seed, and the first year you will only get one or two miniscule tubers too small to taste. A secnd year`s growth from the tiny tubers will be required to produce any tubers of any size at all. As all modern potatoes are infinitely hybridised there is just no way of knowing whether the resulting tubers will be any use or not until they grow

[amphibian]

As all modern potatoes are infinitely hybridised there is just no way of knowing whether the resulting tubers will be any use or not until they grow

However as potatoes are clones of hybrids, each seed will produce different results. If you like one of the offsprings habits, you can then clone it, by saving tubers. You'll then have bred your very own potato variety.

[manicscousers]

we take them off if we think on, or leave them on, doesn't seem to affect the yield  :)

[1 of 5]

thank you all for your help. I'll probably just leave them on there if it doesn't really matter either way