Potatoes

[pargyle]

I've just spent the afternoon peeling most of what is left of this year's potato crop - they were starting to sprout and the ones that were left were those that 'er indoors feels are too small to peel (frankly as she uses a knife to peel them and slices off about quarter of an inch with every slice, anything less than the size of a fist falls into that category) - plus any mishapes get thrown back and any with the slightest hole or blemish ... I'm going to mash some and roast some and make some fishcakes with some and then freeze it all to save wasting them.

However, I've still got quite a lot of fairly small ones which even I can't be bothered peeling .. so, I usually buy in my seed potatoes as the traditional wisdom is that they are certified and there are no inherent diseases. With this amount of small ones left, many of which are already chitted I am very tempted to use them as my seed potatoes - I did not have any blight last year on the plot and I got a reasonable crop from them. Has anyone used their own last season's left overs as this year's seed potatoes ?

 

[Bryang]

I have kept some back to use as seed potatoes with no problems. But I have noticed if they are quite small then I don't get much of a crop from them. I did a non scientific experiment in 2018 when I started some small spuds, approx 1.5/2 inch diameter of in pots of compost in the poly in the middle of March. When they had grown a bit I transplanted them into larger pots filled with 50/50 soil and compost. Planted them out at the begining of June. Had a worthwhile crop from them, variety was nicola... Wouldn't do it again, not worth the effort. If I do keep back tubers for next season, I make a note NOT to use any of the crop for next year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Funny I’ve put a few into the fridge to keep for next year but Bryang’s comment about paucity of crop is making me think again.

 

[pargyle]

Funny I’ve put a few into the fridge to keep for next year but Bryang’s comment about paucity of crop is making me think again.

I'm torn now ... I had considered not planting potatoes this year as there are more worthwhile crops on a time/cost basis I can plant but I have so many left (not that small - about the same size as some of theseed potatoes I've bought in the past) that I am tempted to give them a go. Down here there are people who get them in early in February (bear in mind our micro climate down here in the Costa del Fareham) and as long as the really wet weather has stopped they seem to thrive and beat any chances of blight.

I don't know ... I think I'll sort what I have left and pick out the bigger ones, put them in a box and wait and see what the weather does during January - perhaps dig over and fertilise the patch where they will go this year and be ready. Gardening is nearly as bad as beekeeping sometimes ...

 

[pargyle]

I have kept some back to use as seed potatoes with no problems. ....
..... If I do keep back tubers for next season, I make a note NOT to use any of the crop for next year.

So first year tubers are OK to use the next year but go back to certified seed potatoes for the following year ?

I can see that would make sense - concentrating any laid in genetics or disease would be compounded.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We planted all our potatoes early this year. Remember the lovely early spring we had? We started them in sacks (can't grow them in the ground as something eats the tubers) and put them outside where the frost got them. Consequently all our spuds are small

 

[philipm]

Been using my own spuds for seed for years as we always have some that are not fit for the kitchen.Planted too early this year and the ones that were up got hit by the frost but did recover.I used to have the children helping but now they are older its just me the tractor and the ridger. I find the really small ones if I put a few in the hole I normally get something that can be eaten later on waste not want not is my moto.

 

[Bryang]

So first year tubers are OK to use the next year but go back to certified seed potatoes for the following year ?

I can see that would make sense - concentrating any laid in genetics or disease would be compounded.

Yes, that's the idea. I'm lucky in that the soil in my allotment was "virgin"/new when we recovered the area...Most of the gardens and allotments around here are riddled with eel worm because the gardeners could not afford to buy in certified seed potatoes. The only catastrophe I've had with spuds was with the Sarpo Myra I tried some years ago.

 

[Bryang]

Been using my own spuds for seed for years as we always have some that are not fit for the kitchen.Planted too early this year and the ones that were up got hit by the frost but did recover.I used to have the children helping but now they are older its just me the tractor and the ridger. I find the really small ones if I put a few in the hole I normally get something that can be eaten later on waste not want not is my moto.

Were the original seed potatoes from a certified source?

 

[Bryang]

We planted all our potatoes early this year. Remember the lovely early spring we had? We started them in sacks (can't grow them in the ground as something eats the tubers) and put them outside where the frost got them. Consequently all our spuds are small

If the spuds have holes in them then the main culprits are most probably slugs. If nibbled on the outside then rats or mice, I have a big problem with rats because of the pigeon cott next door Don't get much damage from slugs after I treated the garden with slug nematodes some years ago.

 

[user 819]

Turning more in to Gardner's World forum with every post, lots of useful tips for folks as always though .

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Turning more in to Gardner's World forum with every post, lots of useful tips for folks as always though .

Where's Bill Loades, Fred Sarbutts and Harry Wheatcroft when you need them?
On one program someone asked Harry what's the best method of pruning overgrown roses? Harry's response "get in amongst them with a scythe"

 

[rolande]

I do as did almost all of the local farms when I was growing up. No problems ...yet. I think the big issue is the viral load carried by the seed more than blight. Might be wrong.

Where's Gavin Ramsay, is he still a member?

 

[Erichalfbee]

The only catastrophe I've had with spuds was with the Sarpo Myra I tried some years ago.

That must be the worst potato ever conceived. Flavourless and hard as a bullet. Tried once and never again.

 

[Amari]

That must be the worst potato ever conceived. Flavourless and hard as a bullet. Tried once and never again.

 

[Bryang]

That must be the worst potato ever conceived. Flavourless and hard as a bullet. Tried once and never again.

It was sold as being 100% immune to blight... It failed completely. I can't grow any spuds in the plot I tried it in since, and that was over 10 years ago! I believe it was "bred" in Hungary.

 

[philipm]

I brought some seed potatoes some years back Cara and Swift but I have a bit of a mix that I,ve got over the years.Slugs are a big problem especially with all the wet weather we have.I hate using chemicals and rotate my crops every year rabbits are a big problem though they won't touch the spuds just dig holes in the ridges.

 

[Bryang]

I brought some seed potatoes some years back Cara and Swift but I have a bit of a mix that I,ve got over the years.Slugs are a big problem especially with all the wet weather we have.I hate using chemicals and rotate my crops every year rabbits are a big problem though they won't touch the spuds just dig holes in the ridges.

I also don't like/use chemicals.. Slug nematodes are small worms that burrow into slugs and eat them from the inside, they are present in soil naturally.

 

[Antipodes]

That must be the worst potato ever conceived. Flavourless and hard as a bullet. Tried once and never again.

Can you guys in the UK get the Tasmanian Pink Eye?
Best in sandier soils probably.
https://taspotatoes.com.au/product/pink-eye/

 

[Curly green finger's]

Been using my own spuds for seed for years as we always have some that are not fit for the kitchen.Planted too early this year and the ones that were up got hit by the frost but did recover.I used to have the children helping but now they are older its just me the tractor and the ridger. I find the really small ones if I put a few in the hole I normally get something that can be eaten later on waste not want not is my moto.

We use to keep our own seed and some medium sized potatoes the bigger potatoes were cut in half before sowing.