[jaycee]

Bought a bag of lovely Charlotte potatoes from Lidle. Can I keep these to use as seed?
Jaycee

[shaun]

its a 50/50 chance,some folks have grown super market spuds with success and others have failed  :?
myself i wouldnt bother its a lot of hard work and waste of land if it fails how much are you saving a couple of quid.
99.9% of your shop bought spuds are sprayed with sulphuric or nitric acid (not sure what one) to kill the foliage to make easy picking by the machines that pick them.

[jaycee]

Thanks Shaun
So it`s a big risk. I am sure I heard that it is now illegal to spray spuds to inhibit sprouting but, have I been dreaming (again!)
Jaycee

[shaun]

not sure about the spraying to stop them sprouting i thought they kept them just above freezing in a cold store,i could be wrong though.
A week or so before they harvest the spuds get sprayed with acid so all that all is left is the ridges,along comes the harvester and scoops just under the ridge and up goes soil and spuds,any fines (soil etc) gets dropped back down through a metal riddle ,and the spuds and stones get moved up the conveyer to be sorted by hand,if the haulms were left on they would clog the machine and mr farmer would get very angry.
they could chop them off by hand but thats far too expensive.
have a look at this site
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/safe_use.asp?id=62

[Celtic Eagle]

I'm not sure I need to know that Shaun yeach

[shaun]

its the bit they say about a growth spurt that worrys me after they get sprayed.

[jaycee]

Shaun
 having read the Web page you advised me of,/www.pesticides.gov.uk/safe_use.asp?id=62
 I think I shall go for Certified Organic Potatoes more expensive and limited varieties but..........................
Again thanks
Jaycee

[Garden Gnome]

Coo er.

And let us not forget the potato sprout inhibitors, which is why those supermarket tatties don't seem to want to sprout! Google 'CIPC' or 'inhibit potato sprout' or somesuch, and then reach for the bag of organic spuds! CIPC is used in the UK.

'Chemical sprout inhibitors are applied to over 50% of the potato harvest to extend storage time. In the U.S.A., CIPC (1-methylethyl-3-chlorophenylcarbamate) is the only synthetic chemical registered for postharvest sprout control of stored potatoes, and it is the most widely used sprout inhibitor world-wide. Due to environmental and health safety concerns, the use of CIPC has become more restricted, and alternative sprout control methods are sought. '

I do cringe when I see phrases such as, 'even with robust usage' concerning such chemical control and use ... it's all highly relevant now:-
http://www.potatonews.com/pressreleases/press_detail.asp?id=853

Onions in supermarkets may have sprout inhibitors: last Christmas I bought some superb 1/4-price (post-Christmas sale) shallots from Lidl, and planted them. This was before I'd heard of such inhibitors. Others pointed out this possibility to me, pouring cold water on my red-hot sizzling shallot production plans. Ha! Six months later, the shallots still sat in the soil, hadn't shooted, hadn't rooted, hadn't rotted: all a bit scary!

Labelling requirements don't cover sprout inhibitor usage, I think, so we think the spuds/onions are as nature left 'em, but they've been treated with stuff that stops 'em shooting but doesn't need to be mentioned on the label... I was quite taken aback when I learned this last year.

[GrannieAnnie]

Its sulphuric acid Shaun, 2 years ago we had a letter through the door on 21st September, saying please try to keep all your doors and windows shut on 18th September as we are spraying the potato field behind your house in sulphuric acid!!!!!

Bit late wasn't it?

[GrannieAnnie]

Also, we popped into local garden centre yesterday, and they have their seed potatoes in already, isn't it a bit early to start chitting them yet?

[shaun]

that was good of them anne to tell you after they sprayed how thoughtfull of them.
most places have your seed spuds in by january anyway so its not to early i suppose.if you get them now you can always keep them in the dark for a few more weeks.
how much were they?
what type?
and how much was in the bag or were they loose?
god i'm nosey