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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Jeannine on May 05, 2012, 17:06:56

Title: Spud question
Post by: Jeannine on May 05, 2012, 17:06:56
I have just found a bag of very very tiny potatoes in my garage that I grew last year, they are a bit soft and have chitted a bit.Shoulkd I plant them, some are obly as big as grapes??
They are a type I can't get here . Any chances do you think
XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: goodlife on May 05, 2012, 17:33:47
If there is live sprouted stems..you can carefully 'peel' them off, pot them with tip sticking out of the compost..they soon root and you can then plant them later on as 'plants'...it only take 2-3 weeks to make good root ball in 3" pots.
There is always 'danger' when planting 'past their best' potatoes..that they might find pushing through soil in ground too much a job...particularly if the weather and soil conditions are bit challenging.
Little extra effort with potting will ensure that you don't lost your precious spuds.. ;) ;D
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: saddad on May 05, 2012, 17:33:57
Yesthey will grow...just don't plant too deep
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: gwynnethmary on May 05, 2012, 19:04:43
can I ask a question too?  There are several coming up in the bed they were in last year, which has peas and beans in now.  Should I dig them up?
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: Flighty on May 05, 2012, 19:09:54
Gwynnethmary not unless they're in the way.  I've got some doing the same among my broad beans.
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: Jeannine on May 05, 2012, 19:18:37
Thank you all, they will go in today..XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: Pescador on May 05, 2012, 19:59:16
Goodlife, why would you want to peel the shoots off?
Surely a grape sized tuber is a much smaller energy reserve than normal and needs as much reserve from the tuber as possible
Title: Re: Spud question
Post by: chriscross1966 on May 06, 2012, 07:30:16
THat makes them the same sort of size as a mcrotuber from the propagation labs.... they grow perfectly happily.... I'd pot them up in 5" and once you've got a plant stick it in a bit deeper... just use dirt with some BFB in it, no point in wasting compost on summat that might not grow.....