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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Philbasford on February 05, 2008, 14:06:22

Title: seed potatoes
Post by: Philbasford on February 05, 2008, 14:06:22
i went and picked my seed potatoes up at the weekend from wilkos where ive gone for the last few yrs. i was quite surprised this time at how small the desiree potatoes were.  I really should have taken a good look before i brought them!.  Will they be ok?, or should i go and source some bigger ones?.  They were only 2.50 for the bag so prehaps i should have paid more attention.  The rocket and and another early were much bigger over all!, just wondering if this will make much difference in the long run
Title: Re: seed potatoes
Post by: Tee Gee on February 05, 2008, 14:39:45
The experts will say that the ideal size of a seed potato is around the size of a duck or chicken egg.

Then there are some people who will cut quite large seed potatoes in half ensuring that there is at least one eye/chit on each half.

So if you meet any of this criteria you should be OK

Edit; I have found that golf ball sized seed works just as well as seed three or four times bigger.
Title: Re: seed potatoes
Post by: littlebabybird on February 05, 2008, 15:39:06
my dad used to cut his seed potatoes up into loads of little pieces as long as each had an eye on it then plant them, they always grew well (but then he saved his potatoes every year for seed and i dont remember any virus either)
Title: Re: seed potatoes
Post by: dtw on February 05, 2008, 15:43:00
You may get more tubers per pound of seed potatoes (unless the potatoes haven't got many 'chits').
You could plant them a bit closer together if yield per sq metre is important.

I haven't bought mine yet, mind you, I never get around to doing a lot of things.
Title: Re: seed potatoes
Post by: saddad on February 05, 2008, 16:15:49
Size isn't everything as they say....  ::)
Title: Re: seed potatoes
Post by: Philbasford on February 05, 2008, 16:44:07
thanks guys, may just buy an extra bag just in case!