[Jim the builder]

Hi again, i have just reicived a seed catalogue through the post, it contains many various types of seed potatoes. One type was called Albert Bartlett Apache, this interested me as I always try and grow one odd variety every year. However on a subsequent trip tro the super market I found the exact same potatoes at a greatly reduced price, so my question is this will these super market potatoes produce the same as seed potatoes or do I have to order seed potatoes?

[DD.]

If you want to run the risk of being the most unpopular person on your site by introducing diseases, by all means use them.

"Certified" seed potatoes are not called that for nothing, they are produced under conditions that greatly reduces the risk of disease.

[Aunt Sally]

I agree, not worth the risk for me!

[Jim the builder]

Sorry DD did not mean to offend you, but i thought this was a site where us novices could ask questions without sarcastic replies!!!

[DD.]

I apologise - I'll be way more direct and pointed next time!

[snowdrops]

Hi Jim, seed potatoes are certified disease free to prevent the risk of spreading any thing nasty not just to your plot but to others & also to farmers that would then cause a great problem to the country if it spread around. It really is not advisable to risk it although some people do & old gardeners used to grow 'volunteers' that got left from 1 season to another.
Hope that explains it in a nice way.

[mumofstig]

Supermarket spuds are often sprayed with chemicals to stop them sprouting, which is another reason to avoid them 

[Jamrock]

I didn't think that was a sarcastic answer atall from DD. Straight forward answer to your question I thought Jim.

[m1ckz]

we have a chap on our site who uses his own seed poatoes year after year,,an yes we had lots ot blight last year,but you cant pin down where it came from,,just suspect,he grows
 Désirée  every year,must admit though he has a good crop,

[seedman]

and so did everyone else,even the farmer said we were to blame ridiculous.

[grinling]

Quite a lot of the old timers on my old allotment would use the smaller lot of theirs for up to 3 years as the crop tends to get smaller.
Not sure what diseases supermarket can carry, but my rooster ones have sprouted so will try these. Blight was around alot this year due to the wetter weather, spud farmers up here have suffered.

[helens-hens]

As well as the disease risk (which is the most important thing to consider), if my experience is anything to go by, using potatoes from the supermarket / green grocer doesn't work as well anyway.

I tried it a couple of years ago in our back garden, purely out of interest (and also because I was too late getting seed potatoes!), and though I did get a small crop the potatoes were all small and not that many of them.

[GrannieAnnie]

I didn't think that was a sarcastic answer atall from DD. Straight forward answer to your question I thought Jim.

Sorry I didn't think that was sarcastic either.  DD was just stating a fact. 

In the old days, my Dad would often grow some of his own potatoes, especially the smaller ones, and would let the volunteers grow, but I am very wary now of doing this just in case I spread anything around that I shouldn't.

A couple of years ago I was looking at seed spuds in the local GC and an older couple walked past and the husband said to his wife.  Look at the price of those potatoes.  They are much cheaper in the supermarket! 

Wasn't sure if he realised they were seed potatoes or whether he thought I was going to cook them!   

[DD.]

And here's some more facts, from a much higher authority than me:

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/pc24.php

If you still want to go ahead, then it's on your own head! I'm pleased that the old boys on our site have more sense that some previously described. At the end of the day it's simply irresponsible.

[m1ckz]

here here DD