Topic: not keen on this idea

[ACE]

I recently saw an ad for big potatoes and found they encourage you to save some of the tubers for planting next year. I have always used fresh certified seed potatoes every year and even dig out volunteers as I don't want to encourage disease. Also their tips on growing larger spuds is to take off a few chits to make the plant grow fewer but bigger spuds.

https://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/kondor-5?fbclid=IwAR3l17coC4y66GJBKu7O8BvlG3nnuvKIsiFz8nxv5ZptEDxaMNwAgcxb82A

[ancellsfarmer]

While  I have some sympathy with the ideal of growing certified seed, the experience in recent years of sometimes buying small,ie retail ,packs of different varieties has not been greatly impressive as to the quality/perfection of those tubers bought. They, regettably, invariably contain at least a few that are to be discarded at point of unpacking, some 'bits' that suggest mechanical handling ,often with mould/rot apparent.
They also are not cheap. So what to do?

I have, without any issue, saved from my crop for the last 4 seasons, sufficient 'seed' to plant 80% of my ground. These are selected from the stored crop in February, having given them time to develop/express signs of decay ,and have been grown on fresh ground within my rotation. The yields are good, clean ,well sized and mainly scab free.
It may be co-incidental, but I discern that the planted tuber, in many cases, is still sound when the roots are lifted also.
As a further departure from perceived wisdom, last year I saved some 'greened' tubers that had not been sufficiently covered by earthing up. These I kept seperate, noted that when chitted ,that they produced stronger, stubbier sprouts and went on to produce (WHITE!) potatoes in the normal way.
If one was to purchase these KONDOR as linked, one would surely cut the tubers to seperate the shoots rather than rub them off, hence reducing your initial outlay proportionately. Unless one is into 'freak' growing, the acid test would be regarding the flavour/texture/cookability of the crop.
Size alone is not everything!

[saddad]

Certainly when HSL tried micro tuber potatoes I grew and saved two varieties, Aura and Lord Roseberry that I was very happy with, but after a decade or so the yield and tuber size had declined to such an extent that I had to give them up. With the demise of a (relatively) local Garden Centre that sold tubers individually, so you could pick your own and avoid diseased/damaged tubers I have not been happy with "nets".

[Digeroo]

I have always used some of my own tubers.  They do not seem to be worse than boughten ones for carrying problems.  I return any green tubers into the soil.
I kept a strain of desiree going for years.  They were resistant to scab and a lovely flavour.  Over the years the boughten ones have changed and are no match.  Unfortunately my husband dug over my garden plot and evicted them, so I have lost them.
And I also use super market tubers.  It means you can taste them before you plant.   
I have been very disappointed often by bought 'seed' potatoes.  I think it is an expensive scam.
Having said that some one left a packet of seed potatoes at the allotment with a note saying they were surplus to requirements.  So I planted them and they have been brilliant.  They were planted late and seem to have escaped many of the bugs.  Each potato has produced up to 15 nice size potatoes.

[Beersmith]

For many years our association bought in large sacks of seed potatoes.  These are obviously intended for commercial growers, but get broken down into individual lots of a few kilos each for individual plot holders.

The quality is consistently good.  I doubt that the supplier would risk supplying poor quality and losing their commercial customers, so we benefit too.

That said, there are trading regulations that prohibit the resale of individual items from multi packs. I'm not sure if they extend beyond food items to produce like this. I hope not. Our shop is non profit making and stocks a wide range of products at good prices. It would be a great shame if it had to stop.

[Tee Gee]

There are trading regulations that prohibit the resale of individual items from multipacks

Years ago when these regulations come in to place (70's) we had a little gardeners supply shop, and he supplied virtually every kind of  fertilizer, pesticide and even herbicides that he bought in bulk and decanted into sizes better suited  to most gardeners needs.

He also sold Seed potatoes, Brassicas, and Leeks at the stage when they were ready for planting out.

If you bought Brassicas/Leeks  he would wrap up the plants you required in old newspaper.

aaaaaaaaaaH these were the days!


The rules stated  the removal of materials from their original  container was not permitted as this contravened COSH rules.

Basically what this meant was that  the health and safety data on the original packing/containers may not be passed on to the next customer/s.

He did try producing labels with the more serious safety warnings on them but "Elf & Welf" would not budge on their rulings.

Needless to say he had to shut his business down simply because of these regulations  much to the regret of all the local gardeners, me included!

I would have thought seed potatoes would be exempt but I wouldn't bet on it if the Elf & Welf people get to hear of it!

[Plot22]

I started saving some of my own potatoes for seed some years ago when I could not get and still cannot source  Manitou. I now only save a row of Lady Cristi where I grow 3 rows and Harmony as I grow 2 rows. I am also growing next year Cara and Kestrel with seed bought from my allotment shop. Unfortunately they do not supply Harmony. I must say that I have never had any trouble with any of my own seed. In a small way it helps to bring down the cost of my allotment. I must emphasise that I do not skint on other seeds I only purchase good quality seed from a variety of sources generally from suppliers who also supply farms and smallholdings . At the same time looking out for a bargain this year we hit double six when T&M sold their excess seeds off for £1 a packet that certainly helped with next years cost

[Beersmith]

Good anecdote TeeGee.

And really illustrates the difficulty.

To be honest, stopping people buying concentrated herbicides and insecticides and selling them on in smaller quantities in empty lemonade bottles sounds reasonable to me. Plenty of scope for misuse, and accidental harm.

But stopping the sale of certified seed potatoes just because they arrived in a large paper sack seems much less reasonable. I'm struggling to see what possible harm could arise. It's a potato - no sharp edges !

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, I have never grown my own saved seed and always bought. I must admit the seed spuds are getting pricey and I have not had a very good return. I have bought a bag of eating potatoes and will try growing some this season. I looked at the site link and wow, £9.99 for 5 tubers, they must be gold, They don't charge postage and I can see why. Thanks for the info I am up for a try. I have heard of rubbing of some sprouts but have never done that either. Any advice would be welcome. Happy gardening

[Tee Gee]

I googled this and I tend to agree with the system:


A week or two before your planting date, set your seed potatoes in an area where they will be exposed to light and temperatures between 60-70 degrees F.

This will begin the sprouting process.

A day or two before planting, use a sharp, clean knife to slice the larger seed potatoes into smaller pieces.

Each piece should be approximately 2 inches square, and must contain at least 1 or 2 eyes or buds.

Plant smaller potatoes whole.

A good rule of thumb is to plant potatoes whole if they are smaller than a golf ball. In a day or so your seed will form a thick callous over the cuts, which will help prevent rotting.



This is my slant on things (check out the related links as well)

https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/P/Potato/Potato.htm

[BarriedaleNick]

I've been saving my own spuds for growing for years now and they seem to be doing better each year.  Great crops of great potatoes - particularly PFAs which seem to improve in size every year.  I have bought some over with me and I'll see how they go in a different climate - TBH I have no idea where to get seed spuds from here and I suspect there isn't much variety..

[George the Pigman]

I have saved potatoes on one or two occasions -usually when the variety is difficult to get hold of. They grew OK  compared to the seed potatoes I grew in the same year.
I certainly agree some of the packs of seed potatoes one sees in the garden centres contain ones that end up being discarded. I usually prefer getting my seed potatoes loose so I can pick the ones that look OK. Also I know how many I need for a row and just get that number so there is no waste.