[Kathogur]

On my potatoes last year I had lots of trusses of what looked like tomatoes on the plant.  I understand these are poisonous.  So I threw them all of a stone border, stones being from my garden, thousands od em.  Now it looks the they are growing.  Should I leave them and see what happens or get rid.

[mumofstig]

It's called growing from True Potato Seeds, lots of people are beginning to do it as it increases the genetic mix of potatoes, and can eventually give you potatoes that will thrive in your location/conditions.

Growing from seed potatoes is rather taking the easy way, but growing TPS is a bit more work. Some thoughts/advice here
http://garden.lofthouse.com/botanical-potato-seed.phtml

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/potato-seeds-zbcz1307

[engineer]

MuM, i'm a little confused after reading the article in the link, i understand the fact that the seed is harvested at the end of the season from the pods, and then sown and grown on the following season. Now for my stupid question, when the sown seed makes small potatoes in the pots are these then planted out as new season seed potatoes the following year?

[mumofstig]

You carry on growing them in pots and then plant them out for growing potatoes this year.

You can't leave them in small pots very long, simply because there wouldn't be enough room for tubers to grow 

You are simply growing from a seed something that resembles the growing point/stem you get when you chit a potato tuber, If that makes sense?

[engineer]

Gotcha!  like growing from a potato eye?

[Salmo]

Could be interesting to see what grows, but do not expect much as they will revert to the original parents of the tubers from whence the seed came.

[mumofstig]

Gotcha!  like growing from a potato eye?

Yes!

Salmo, the flowers could have been cross pollinated by any of the varieties grown nearby, so could be a new variety altogether.

[Rhys]

I wouldn't be surprised it I had some grow from last years crop. No idea what variety they were from as they were growing outside of the spud rows, so they must've planted themselves that year as well.


Always been warned as a kid not to eat them as they were related to Deadly Nightshade.

[gobs]

Should I leave them and see what happens or get rid.

If you have the room, the only case I would not leave them, if the plants were diseased. Blight for example, can carry over in the seed and many other troubles do, too.

[Kathogur]

That makes interesting readin, though some went over my head.  I will leave them where they are, the ground is not good and it is where I throw all the stones from the garden.  So I will just wait and see. 

[gobs]

Those are not too ideal conditions. If you want to see what you are getting, it would be worth planting a few up somewhere more friendly.

[lettice]

I was always led to believe the potato fruits were very poisonous.
Surely you would have to be very careful to extract the seeds.

[mumofstig]

They are poisonous to eat not to touch.

[Rhys]

They are poisonous to eat not to touch.

Might be an idea not to eat anything after touching them though. latex gloves, or marigolds might be useful here. After-all, I expect I'm not the only one that grazes when fruit/veg is ready to eat.

[Kathogur]

Well I have pulled a couple of small plants up and there was small potatoes on them.  not going to bother trying to move them I have enough taters in as it is.