Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Peterjohn on January 06, 2008, 19:56

Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: Peterjohn on January 06, 2008, 19:56
Hi new to veg growing, got my veg patch last year, planted out Kestral really pleased with them, have many potatoes that will be left over. Do you think it should be okay to use them for seed potatoes for this comming season, have read this can be done, is this common practice or should I result to buying new seed spuds, incase they have picked up some disease.( the spuds that we are using are fine no blemishes on them, some are starting to chit so thought I could use them.

Pete
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: splodger on January 06, 2008, 20:06
i grew kestrel too - very good spud imho  :wink:

i have kept a few to chit - that's what was always done in the past - and if you do any more unusual varieties - like snowdrop  or something - it's not always easy to get fresh seed

disease is always a concern though  :wink:
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: WG. on January 06, 2008, 20:08
I keep seed from one variety (which isn't available anywhere any more).  In general though, I'd advise using fresh seed each year.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2008, 20:10
As splodger agreed with me earlier, I'll agree with splodger.

It's a risk, but should make no difference to your quantity.

When Sarpo Mira were an astronomical price, I held back some for seed, still had a good crop. Now I can get them for £1 a kilo - doesn't seem worth running the risk.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: gobs on January 06, 2008, 20:24
Quote from: "DD."
As splodger agreed with me earlier, I'll agree with splodger.

It's a risk, but should make no difference to your quantity.

When Sarpo Mira were an astronomical price, I held back some for seed, still had a good crop. Now I can get the for £1 a kilo - doesn't seem worth running the risk.


Where do you get them for that price, please?
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2008, 20:27
Local nursery. All seed spuds were £1 a kilo last year (80 varieties).  Maybe they made a mistake with the Sarpo! The Sarpo Saxona were the same price.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: richyrich7 on January 06, 2008, 21:03
Quote from: "DD."
Local nursery. All seed spuds were £1 a kilo last year (80 varieties).  Maybe they made a mistake with the Sarpo! The Sarpo Saxona were the same price.


Is that Brookside DD ? if so see you there then  :lol:
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: SkipRat on January 06, 2008, 22:34
Quote from: "DD."
Local nursery. All seed spuds were £1 a kilo last year (80 varieties).  Maybe they made a mistake with the Sarpo! The Sarpo Saxona were the same price.


I tried to get some Sarpo Saxona for this year Dave and was told that the crop failed and that there will not be any about. I dont know if this is true or not or if it was a ploy for me to buy Sarpo Mira, which havent failed  :lol:
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2008, 22:37
Quote from: "richyrich7"
Quote from: "DD."
Local nursery. All seed spuds were £1 a kilo last year (80 varieties).  Maybe they made a mistake with the Sarpo! The Sarpo Saxona were the same price.


Is that Brookside DD ? if so see you there then  :lol:


That's the one - as I say, don't know if they mispriced them last year, T & M are still expensive.

Phoned them Friday, said spuds would be in in about 2 weeks.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2008, 22:39
I meant Sarpo Axona of course. T & M still have them in the catalogue.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: Aunt Sally on January 06, 2008, 23:08
Aren't most seed potatoes produced in Scotland where the winters are so cold that diseases risks are greatly reduced  :?:

WG. should know the answer to this one.
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: splodger on January 06, 2008, 23:09
Quote from: "DD."
As splodger agreed with me earlier, I'll agree with splodger.



steady now - we'll all be thinking you've turned into a mister nice guy if you carry on like that  
:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

but it is reassuring to get a thumbs up from a fellow member - does that sound nearly rude  :roll:
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: WG. on January 06, 2008, 23:11
Quote from: "Aunt Sally"
Aren't most seed potatoes produced in Scotland where the winters are so cold that diseases risks are greatly reduced  :?:

WG. should know the answer to this one.
I wrote a learned thesis on this which was completely wrong :oops:  :oops: .   Aphids is the correct answer.

See http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=36917#36917
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: DD. on January 07, 2008, 08:52
Quote from: "splodger"
Quote from: "DD."
As splodger agreed with me earlier, I'll agree with splodger.



steady now - we'll all be thinking you've turned into a mister nice guy if you carry on like that  
:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

but it is reassuring to get a thumbs up from a fellow member - does that sound nearly rude  :roll:


I AM a nice guy  - free bean seed anyone?

Purple Climbing French Beans (http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11312)

Runner Beans (http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11037)
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: richyrich7 on January 07, 2008, 12:14
Just a thought I usually keep a few over for seed but not this year with the blight problems we all experienced, IMHO its better this year to start with fresh certified seed as per WG's post above .  :D
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: Peterjohn on January 07, 2008, 14:54
Quote from: "richyrich7"
Just a thought I usually keep a few over for seed but not this year with the blight problems we all experienced, IMHO its better this year to start with fresh certified seed as per WG's post above .  :D


Thanks for your reply, I think I will get seed spuds as I also had the blight problem, and had to lift the crop early. Better to be sure, as I might have problems with this years crop, using last years spuds.

Pete
Title: Using last seasons Potatoes for seed
Post by: Trillium on January 07, 2008, 19:26
Aunt Sally, it's not cold winters that seed potatos want. Ideally, they need to be grown at high altitudes (over 6,000 ft) where summer days are warm and evenings are cool. This weather, along with altitude, keeps diseases and insect pressure low - aka, pests can't thrive.  Being pest and virus free, the seed potatoes have more vigor.
With a lot of UK flatlands and wet weather, blight is too common, you're better off buying fresh seed potatoes yearly.