Seed Potatoes

[User]

 

[Tail End Charlie]

They may not be virus free and will probably have been treated with all sorts of things. You'll get some sort of crop, but it won't be great. Don't bother, give something else a try.

 

[wormo]

You should use seed potatoes only, specially bred for purpose. Have you looked online. I always get mine that way.

 

[awomaninsane]

We found some potatoes with long stalky things growing out of them that had got lost in our cupboard a while back. We planted them and they grew some new potatoes that were very nice!

 

[tyred]

You may find they've been treated with chemicals to stop them from sprouting and thus keeping longer as once they start to bud, they aren't really very edible.

Traditionally, potato growers graded them with the small ones being kept for seed for next years crop, the really large ones (which depending on variety are often hollow in the centre) or weird shaped ones being cut up and fed to cattle, pigs or whatever and the in between ones of around 2" - 4" diameter and uniform in shape being sold for eating.

So in theory there is nothing wrong with using non-seed graded potatoes for seed but as I say, commercially sold ones are usually treated with chemicals specifically to stop them from growing.

 

[EatSleepRideRepeat]

Chlorpropham (bud nip) is used comercially to inhibit the growth of sprouts on root veg. You can use organic veg, they will not be treated in this way. The chemical is not something I would like to eat

 

[hopless500]

I've done it, and they grew just fine.

Edit/ should say, we don't tend to buy organic spuds, and they always, without fail, sprout, so not so sure about the inhibitor.

 

[Cuchilo]

Get em in the ground

 

[Dave 123]

Mrs Dave works in the world of potato breeding and her advice is not to bother.
She agrees with what the first 2 posts said.

 

[subaqua]

As TEC says, you won't get a really decent crop.

Seed producers like Suttons still have seed potatoes available, including some maincrop and late season varieties.

Really ? Even in pots in London we got a massive crop from spuds that had spritted. We did layer them up well each week tho.

 

[growingvegetables]

Really ? Even in pots in London we got a massive crop from spuds that had spritted. We did layer them up well each week tho.

Aye - but there's a wee difference. Nobody's really going to mind introducing a virus, eelworm, or whatever to a pot in London .

Different in a garden or an allotment, where you're thinking about healthy soil and future crops as well

 

[subaqua]

Aye - but there's a wee difference. Nobody's really going to mind introducing a virus, eelworm, or whatever to a pot in London .

Different in a garden or an allotment, where you're thinking about healthy soil and future crops as well

I was responding to the poor crop comment to be fair.

And never a problem for my parents back in the 80s in the massive garden we had in NWales . Maybe we need to look at why viruses are more prevalent today.

 

[Mr Celine]

Border Organic Gardeners have a Potato Day every year the first Sunday in March at the Border Union Showground, Kelso. A bit late now, but put in on next year's calendar.
They sell seed potatoes priced per tuber, so you can buy as few or as many as you wish, they usually have a choice of about 50 varieties. I usually buy 5 tubers of 6 different varieties.
This year, as usual, I've already forgotten which lot is which.