[Ruth Cross]

Just looking at ordering some seed potatoes from my local garden center for next years early/main crop. Only ever grown a few potatoes at home from some spuds I got from the farmers market.

Do I need to buy specialist 'seed potatotes' for growing on a larger scale down the allotment. Or will it still be ok to use some from the farmers market. I've heard stories of some people being very successful with supermarket spuds :?

[crowndale]

My preference would be for 'proper' seed spuds, greater choice of variety and certified desease free.

[Aidy]

Agree with crowndale, they are disease free so you know, barring blight later on they should be good croppers.

[Ruth Cross]

Ok, thanks guys. How much £ is reasonable for a 3kg bag of seed spuds and any recommended type?

[shaun]

from a garden center about £4 a bag

[gobs]

Or 2.50 via other ways, you are looking somewhere in between.
 
I'd suggest you do a search or two on this Ruth, cos everybody talked there hearts out about their favourites and reasons about this.

WG-  pink fur apple(and pink bananas )
Me - Orla and Sharpo

and so on.

[sweet nasturtium]

And another question to latch onto this thread - maths again I'm afraid -

How many seed spuds would you need to keep a family of four in tatties for a year based on say 2kg per week?
 :?:  

[Calou]

Ok, thanks guys. How much £ is reasonable for a 3kg bag of seed spuds and any recommended type?

3kg is £2.50 from our allotment hut, there were loads to choose from so I just asked the other plot holders what they recommended (can't for the life of me remember what they were called but I ordered them anyway) Earlies and main crops. lol

[gobs]

We are also a small family, Sweetie, but we do go through quite a bit of rice and pasta as well, but for us, 2 - 2 1/2 sacks are enough almost till the new ones come along and now for 2 years of JA as well, I never need to buy pots, even though I give a lot of new pots away. I plant about 4x20 tubers of main crop, that would be approx(depends on size of tuber!) 2x 3 or 4x1.5kg. And 4x20 tubers of new pots, 2 lots of these can be left and stored and used all year round.

It depends though, what the yield is per variety in a year and your personal appetite, also, the size as mentioned.

However, (unless big screw up for whatever reason) I can't see you going short on a near that amount of seed.  As I say, I give a lot away.  If conditions right, soil right, weather right, you can expect 20 tubers or almost a bucketful under one plant, all that not right, you have just some.

[shaun]

And another question to latch onto this thread - maths again I'm afraid -

How many seed spuds would you need to keep a family of four in tatties for a year based on say 2kg per week?
 :?:  

this many sweet  
not sure on 2kg a week ours is more like 10kg a week

 i'm quite suprised at how well there storing thinking back to the wet summer we had

[gobs]

Very nice

[shaun]

heres a good site to help you choose your seed spuds LINK

[nwalch]

And another question to latch onto this thread - maths again I'm afraid -

How many seed spuds would you need to keep a family of four in tatties for a year based on say 2kg per week?
 :?:  

this many sweet  
not sure on 2kg a week ours is more like 10kg a week
 i'm quite suprised at how well there storing thinking back to the wet summer we had

How far apart do you plant your rows. Just wondering how many I can fit in.

[shaun]

the rows are 2 feet apart nwalch any less and you will have no soil to earth em up with.

[Ruth Cross]

Thanks for all your help guys, I'll have a good look around for different varieties and prices.