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Post by macmex on Jan 19, 2021 12:59:32 GMT -6
Seven or eight years ago I experimented with growing potatoes from seed (true seed, actual seed) rather than from roots. I purchased a number of Tom Wagner's selections and even got seed from a more heat tolerant potato. It was interesting, though none of the resulting plants produced as heavily as what we generally purchase as roots (seed potato). Still, growing from true seed shows some promise. For one thing, I can keep true seed in a tiny seed packet, in the freezer, for decades, taking it out to start potatoes which can then be propagated by roots. In third world situations, true potato seed shows some promise because a whole lot of potato germplasm can be transported, taking up little space. There's also the possibility of finding a new variety which is especially well adapted to local conditions.
Anyway, I didn't have my potato seeds in the freezer and apparently they expired. I tried to start a few last year, and didn't get anything.
Today I ran across a seed company I have never before heard of. Cultivariable has quite a selection of true potato seed. I couldn't resist. I ordered a packet of the assorted tetraploid seeds. Will give it another try this year.
One of my main regrets about our Oklahoma climate, is that it is nearly impossible to get potatoes to produce true seed here. It gets so hot so quickly that I have never seen potatoes successfully produce seeds here. If we could figure out how to do that, it would be a wonderful breakthrough!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2021 17:27:38 GMT -6
Thanks for this, George. I will bookmark and maybe order some in the future.
Can you recommend some dense reading material on growing potatoes for storage and seed? An author is sufficient, I will find it.
edit: Looks like this site might be my answer. Sorry bout that.
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Post by macmex on Jan 19, 2021 19:15:54 GMT -6
Do a search for "Tom Wagner," I think his associate is "Robert Wagner." Also look for "Tatermater." There used to be some great reading in forums built around Tom. He's the fellow who really got the ball rolling with true potato seed.
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Post by macmex on Apr 1, 2021 12:23:31 GMT -6
Time flies and I have neglected to update this thread. I have 13 plants going and gave about 10 to Ron. My plants are in 3" pots and really need to be transplanted. Some are nearly 8" tall and flopping over. Ideally, they should be planted much more deeply now. I could even put them outside, though they'd require hardening off. They've been protected from UV light, while in the greenhouse.
Some observations: 1. It appears that every plant I have is unique. There are varying shades of pigmentation in the stems. There are differences in size and shape of leaves and, to some degree, differences in how tall or squat they are.
Here's photo of the most squat plant, which also happens to have really large leaves.
2. Most of these plants are obviously doing something below the soil line. I see sprouts coming up, as if from the roots.
I could put them in the garden and get a crop, but I'm going to take this experiment a bit farther. I will repot in larger pots and let them fill them. Then, I will let them dry down and produce little potatoes, while still in the pots. By doing this I hope to be able to see color and maybe shape of root. The real benefit to this plan is that I can get them to dormancy sooner, getting them out of dormancy sooner, hopefully in time to plant in late summer for a fall crop of Irish potatoes.
I'm sure that our fall would work for a crop of potatoes, but who has seed potatoes in August? Hopefully I will.
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Post by macmex on Apr 2, 2021 6:22:00 GMT -6
I'm sure there's another, more technical and precise term, but a day later, and my memory is still playing hide and seek with me on it. By dormancy I'm referring to the characteristic that most potatoes have, which makes it that their newly harvested roots don't sprout shoots immediately. Most have an internal clock which varies from only a few days (unheard of with commercial varieties) to a couple months, before they will begin making sprouts. It's been around ten years since I did much reading on this, but I want to say that most potatoes require about 6 weeks time, after harvest before they'll even consider sprouting. Then, to help them along, one can place them in a well lighted location.
When I dig my spring potatoes in June they almost certainly won't be ready to use for seed potatoes until mid September, which is too late to make a crop. But I can "harvest" my mini seed potatoes from seed grown roots almost anytime by ceasing to water them. They'll make little tubers before they die down, and then, I can start the clock for when I want to plant them.
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Post by macmex on Apr 3, 2021 5:26:28 GMT -6
Here are some photos of a couple of seedling potatoes I repotted yesterday. They show how some of these seedlings produce additional stems/plants. I suspect this characteristic will boost overall production.
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billw
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Post by billw on Apr 3, 2021 17:15:27 GMT -6
In this case, the additional stems are an indication that you've had the seedlings in pots too long. The stolons have run up against the sides of the pot, which has forced them up and out of the soil, where they became stems instead of tubers. You wouldn't want that if you were planning on transplanting them to the field, but it is inevitable if you are going to keep them in small pots, which it sounds like you are. You will still get minitubers from the stolons that don't jump out of the soil. They look like good, healthy seedlings.
Bill / Cultivariable
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Post by macmex on Apr 3, 2021 19:21:44 GMT -6
Thank you Bill! Any input you can offer will be happily accepted.
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Post by john on Apr 5, 2021 5:54:04 GMT -6
Really neat experiment. Perhaps when you plant the little seed potatoes in the fall/late summer you should mark where the potatoes are located. That way if they don't come up, you can dig them up and perhaps give them another shot a little later. It will be interesting to see if the dormancy's from seeds will differ. One of my favorite varieties is Kennebec and they are a great keeping potato, because they have such a long dormancy. I have a really cold root cellar and I just pulled some out the other day that still hadn't sprouted yet. Meanwhile the Red Pontiac's were all covered with sprouts. (Both were harvested and planted at the same time last year)
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Post by macmex on Apr 5, 2021 8:14:18 GMT -6
Good points. Different varieties have differing dormancy times. Kennebec is my main standby because it is so very dependable here and produces huge crops.
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Post by macmex on Apr 5, 2021 11:49:15 GMT -6
Just a note: There's a ton of really great reading on the Cultivariable website. I really need to take time to go over everything possible there. You might want to, also. True potato seed and potato genetics is a fascinating topic, one which is under appreciated by the wider gardening public. Yet, growing from seed isn't hard. I can't imagine getting more entertainment from a $6 packet of seed that what I get from true potato seed!.
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Post by john on Apr 6, 2021 5:49:47 GMT -6
Kennebec's are my favorite too. They seem to handle the problems that knock out the many other species early. I have had problems with flea beatles, whiteflies and even cucumber beetles on my potatoes there are also many diseases that affect them, the Kennebec's seem to handle the pests better and the plants stay green longer, thus growing nice big potatoes. Thank's for the link, I will check them out. I am excited to see what you find out about your seed potatoes.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Apr 18, 2021 18:02:17 GMT -6
I really enjoyed reading all that. Thanks to all who have posted here.
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Post by macmex on Apr 27, 2021 7:05:23 GMT -6
I've had my seedling potato plants outside, now, for over a week. They're still in pots, as the plan has been to dry them up and get mini potatoes for fall planting. Now I'm having another intriguing possibility arise. Several are forming flower buds. It's plenty early here for potato flowers to make seed before the heat really sets in. This is quite exciting to me. I love the idea that I might be able to produce potato seed, here in Oklahoma!
Here's the first one.
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Post by macmex on May 1, 2021 5:25:44 GMT -6
Same flowers, some days later. This photo was taken 4/30/2021. I now have two or three flowering. Interestingly, the ones flowering all have similar leaf and vine structure as well.
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