[gregmcalister]

Just out of interest I wondered what people's experiences were in terms of growing potatoes from non certified seed.  I've been thinking today that potatoes have been grown for thousands of years and growers would use potatoes from the previous year as seed. I know the arguments about seed spuds being free from disease etc but I wonder how many people have actually had any trouble using healthy potatoes from the previous year as seed. I've planted supermarket spuds and they've been fine so this year I'll just use some of last year's pink fir apple, international kidney and kerrs pink.

[DD.]

If you can spot a disease free spud from one that isn't and are willing to run the risk of being the most unpopular person on the site by introducing disease, then you're free to do so.

The authority on here has said in the past that the risk of saving your own seed for a year is minimal, but increases thereon in.

It not without good reason that a lot of trouble is gone to to produce certified seed. If I recall correctly the French are almost fanatical about it.

[Salmo]

If certified seed is grown then it is accepted agricultural practice to save some seed from that crop for planting the next year but not beyond that. These small potatoes are unmarketable for human consumption and would otherwise be sold for animal feed at a low price or thrown away.

Potatoes bought for eating may be infected with virus and should not be used for seed.

The reason why potato seed producers are mainly in Scotland is that their cooler climate or altitude keeps them free of aphids that spread virus.

[gregmcalister]

Thanks for the replies

My feeling is that I'm not introducing potatoes from outside the site and the plants that I did grow were healthy and were from certified seed.  Every year I have new plants sprouting from tubers left in the ground from the previous year so those would carry the same risk as replanting some of last year's tubers. If I could get comparible results replacing seed every two years rather than every year then I see no reason not to do it.

[mumofstig]

Can't you get seed very reasonably priced considering where you are growing

[gregmcalister]

There doesn't seem to be anywhere local that sells seed potatoes so I have to buy them mail order.  Before you know it you've had to shell out 30 quid for a few seed potatoes.

[solway cropper]

Do you not have garden centres up there?? or, dare I say it Wilkos 

I'm south of the border but only just and got mine this year from JBA in Annan. For just over twenty quid I got 10kg of spuds including delivery.

[lisa123]

we had some potatoes left over out of our sack, that were rooting and we just planted them and i have got to say they were absolutely loverly. so we will be doing the same this year.

[DD.]

The risk is yours Lisa123, but just read again and note what Salmo posted, you'll only plant infected potatoes once.

Potatoes bought for eating may be infected with virus and should not be used for seed.

[Yorkie]

The risk isn't just the individual's though, is it.

If you introduce a virus, chances are you'll spread it to others on your allotment site.  And if it's a windborne virus then it can travel further.  Very worst case scenario is that it affects a significant area, possibly even travels over time up to those who breed potatoes and wipes out their crop for the year - in this country or further afield in Europe.  Statisticially unlikely, I know, but how do you know you won't be that statistic?

I believe that there are heavy penalties for those who sell (I know people on this thread don't fall into that category) uncertified seed potatoes just because the risks to the whole crop and industry are just too great.

And all because people choose not to buy certified virus free tubers on an ongoing basis (I mean repeatedly).

[Iain@JBA]

I had a man from up the road a bit who sent me some very rare tubers that he had been growing for 3 years himself. The potatoes looked healty and I popped them in some containers to grow them in. Once the shaws got to about a foot high you could see they were infected with severe mosaic and I had to dispose of the lot of them. I called the guy and he said he never saw anything wrong with them last year. And so ends my story.

[DD.]

From the horse's mouth!

Thanks Iain.

[DD.]

The risk isn't just the individual's though, is it.

It was a way of expressing it!  I did say this in my first post....

If you can spot a disease free spud from one that isn't and are willing to run the risk of being the most unpopular person on the site by introducing disease, then you're free to do so.

[Yorkie]

I know, DD, just thought your point was so good it could be made twice!!

[Rangerkris]

I think the OBND palnts his own potato's from the year befor dont supose theres much that can be done about that really only to make it know about spread of virus.