|
Post by macmex on May 3, 2021 9:34:49 GMT -6
This is a photo of the whole plant, the same one as pictured above. I think it's beautiful! It'll be interesting to see what kind of root it produces.
|
|
|
Post by chrysanthemum on May 4, 2021 19:48:23 GMT -6
That plant is really beautiful. Thanks for the updates and photos.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on May 11, 2021 8:06:48 GMT -6
Woohoo! We're going to get some seed!
Now, I did start these early, in the greenhouse, but also, we've had a prolonged cool, wet spring. I'm excited though. Maybe I can still produce seed here.
I'll have to do it in a more crude manner than Bill (Cultivariable) does. Here's a link to one of his blogs on how to process potato seed. There's a ton of good info in it, even on how to kill virus' in seed without killing the seed. This could be helpful for tomato and pepper growers, especially in warmer climates.
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on May 11, 2021 14:18:51 GMT -6
I've never seen fruit on a potato plant before. That's amazing! If you keep that up, we might have to change your last two names to Washington Carver.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on May 11, 2021 14:31:47 GMT -6
Growing up on the East Coast, it was normal to see seed pods on our potatoes. Here, it's more challenging to get them on account of the heat. I'm sure glad potatoes grow here!
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on May 11, 2021 15:23:46 GMT -6
An excerpt from the link you provided earlier:
Removing Germination Inhibitors Potato seeds are covered with a sticky gel that acts as a germination inhibitor. By removing it, you make it possible to germinate seeds almost immediately. When the gel is not removed, it may take months or even years for the seed to reach its maximum germination potential.
God does some awesome stuff!
It always amazes me how God provides a way for so many plant seeds to survive more than one season; in case there is a bad year climate-wise or an animal devours them before they are mature. God designed things so that even though some seeds germinate the first year they are exposed to the elements, others don't germinate until the following year, or perhaps not for years to come ... That can be frustrating to the farmer, but in the larger scheme of things, it has proven more than once to be a life saver.
There are so many ways he looks after us, many times, in ways we don't even realize.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on May 11, 2021 19:15:45 GMT -6
How very true!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 16, 2021 8:49:05 GMT -6
Well, I've been busy and not paying enough attention to my seedling potatoes. I did pick two small fruit and picked through them. Only got TWO seeds, but hey, they're seeds and I can grow them. Most have died down now. Today I grabbed one which had died down completely and decided to take a look. Here's what I saw when I dumped things out of the pot.
I thought this looked pretty encouraging. So, I tore into the potting mix, looking for potatoes. I found twelve little red potatoes.
This is VERY encouraging. I have no idea as to how long these will want to remain dormant, but if I can wake them up, say around the end of July, I should be able to plant them, getting at least 12 plants. That will be a better test of this new "variety."
I also decided to cut one open and look. You might have noticed in the above picture. Potatoes can have different colored flesh too. I know you won't find this in a box store or most feed stores, etc. This one has rose colored flesh.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 11:35:44 GMT -6
It has really been fun to watch you grow from actual seed to seed potato. I trialed a fall crop for seed potato last year. What I got was small and imperfect but they were my best above ground plants. Haven't dug them up yet.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 17, 2021 10:23:54 GMT -6
I grabbed another pot and dumped it out. I call this Seedling # 2. Looks like white potatoes with red blush/eyes.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 18, 2021 8:20:59 GMT -6
It's hard to get time for the garden right now, but I figure if I grab one of these seedling potato plants every day, catalog and photograph, and store the tubers, it's progress. This is the third (#3 potato) seedling I've unpotted. This one had died off completely.
The potatoes are white with the slightest blush of red. The interior of this one is quite yellow.
I hadn't cut open one of #2's, but today I did. Here are #2 and #3 compared. #2 is white fleshed. #3 is yellow fleshed. Out of just three plants I've had three different colors of flesh and noticeably different skin colors!
All these seeds came from ONE packet of Cultivariable's Mixed True Potato Seeds (TPS), Tetraploid, Wide Mix. I can hardly imagine a way to better spend $6 on a packet of seed!
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Jun 18, 2021 9:54:44 GMT -6
What a pleasant surprise! Reading this is better than getting to the bottom of a box of Cracker Jack's.
|
|
|
Post by chrysanthemum on Jun 18, 2021 19:49:28 GMT -6
What a pleasant surprise! Reading this is better than getting to the bottom of a box of Cracker Jack's. I would not have come up with that comparison, but I thought it summed things up pretty well. I’ve loved seeing those pots of potential seed potatoes for the fall. How exciting!
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 28, 2021 16:09:25 GMT -6
In my best TV advertising voice imitation I'd like to say, "But wait! There's more!
About two weeks ago I realized I hadn't been inspecting the fruit on the now-dry potato plants, in their pots. I have fallen behind on dumping them out and cataloging what I find too. But about two weeks ago I realized, with a start, that I was about to lose those fruit. They'd drop and the weeds would cover them up. I went out there and after scrabbling around a bit, I found 3 large fruit, which were still moist and squishy, though they were turning color to a brown/olive tone. I brought them into the house and set them by my place at the table. And... left them there for a bit over a week. (I tell you, I'm so busy at times, I wonder if I'm coming or going.) Anyway, about four days ago I finally processed those berries. Here's a picture of one, as I cut and squeezed out the seed. These berries had a good many seeds too.
I squeezed the seeds and pulp out, and into a little cup and then poured them into a nylon coffee filter, rinsing them under running water and picking out the pieces of pulp. Here's a picture of the seed, while still in the coffee filter.
Once I rinsed the seed, I dumped it out on a sheet of wax paper, to dry.
Now, I didn't use any substance to sanitize the seed. I didn't heat treat it. I just let it kind of ferment in the berry and then rinse and dry it. I look forward to growing this seed, though I'm sure the diversity of this seed won't compare to what I purchased from Cultivariable.
I do love the idea that I can complete the whole circle of seed to potato and back to seed.
|
|
|
Post by chrysanthemum on Jun 28, 2021 21:07:46 GMT -6
That is just amazing! Thanks for the update.
|
|