True Potato Seed - TPS

[Jayb]

I've really enjoyed growing tps this year, lots to learn  :)
I have saved some seed and wonder if anyone else fancies growing them next year.  I really love the not quite knowing what you are going to get angle and the allure of finding something deliciously unique!

Potatoes from TPS are not quite as straight forward to start off as tubers. Think more along the lines of starting tomatoes- Sowing seeds in the warm, potting on a couple of times before planting out after the risk of frost. Then treat as potatoes.  
      
Cocoon Khuchi (diploid) one of Tom Wagner varieties

Skagit Magic (diploid), quite late to mature another Tom Wagner variety

Russian Blue, should give a good range of skin and flesh colours.

Tibet, parent produces an abundance of flowers over a very long period and lots of berries.

Blue Belle, it would be great to have some tasting and looking similar to the parent.

Sarpo Mira, I'm hoping some blight resistant is passed to some of the offspring, though what they will taste like is anyone's guess.


Swaps would be fantastic to add varieties. Although no worries if you don't have any TPS to swap, you can still ask for seed but please send a SAE.

A bit of info here http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,65493.0.html

[Jayb]

[Jayb]

If anyone fancies growing some true potato seeds and needs a little seed, I've updated my list of available TPS

[brown thumb]

hi  jaybe when do you start your tps off i have some from the swap and also some ive tryed saving off my lates    suex

[Jayb]

Hi Sue, I think the recomendation is sow inside 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. I started mine off at the begining of March last year, which worked out quite well for me as I could move them to the polytunnel before planting out. Although tiny to start, they will need a bit more space and as bright a spot as you can manage. I think I started planting them outside at the begining of May.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It depends on how much space you have available to start them off in. They obviously need to be well above freezing point, but a windowsill is easily warm enough. I can start them indoors, but not grow them on, so I'll be sowing them next month.

[green lily]

Well I have a propagator free at the moment and by March I think I shall want to be doing other stuff like toms and all the spring stuff. More than anything i want to know if my seeds are duff or not so I can proceed or beg some from another... I've plenty of space for a few slow growers with the sunroom and the poly. Trick is not to grow too much of anything or stuff goes wrong  ::). My brother who lives with me has cancer and probable secondaries now so I must control my spring urges as I'm his only carer... :(

[green lily]

I think I have lift off! Germination appears to have started. I'm quite excited as it appears my cleaning/ drying etc was good enough.Now to get my nose out of the propagator and on with my life ;D.

[Nigel B]

Well, reading the other thread about tps, I was inspired to nip down the lotty where I knew there were a couple of tatty fruits I had left in a sheltered spot.
They had been through one or two light frosts but they looked and felt exactly as described. No idea what variety they are, but I just fancy a bash to see what pops up.
Its a bit of work though eh? I used my fingers to open the fruits and squish the seeds out and into a sieve, under a cold running tap...

.... Then, after warming up some very cold fingers, I transferred the seeds to a piece of paper to dry out.
They stuck like I'd dipped them in wallpaper paste.  ::)
I think I must have managed to dislodge about a hundred seeds give or take..
I'll be setting them off as soon as the moon calender thingy says it's ok.  ;)
Should be interesting...  8)

[green lily]

I soaked mine for several days to dissolve all the gunk around the seeks. Just take the ones that sink to the bottom. The floaters are void. dry and then i gave them a 20minute rinse in a soln. of the magic TPS aka sugar soap...
I just put a teas. in a jam jar of water then swirled them and left them for 20 mins,strained and dried. I then kept them in the fridge until sowing. The sugar soap helps to clean of bugs, moulds, etc etc..... This is my first attempt. have a look at Jayb's thread or google True potato seed and you should get a link to one of the American sites that are big on this.
Best of luck - hope they do well ;D