seed potatoes

[paul]

Does anyone know how to make you own seed potatoes??
Cheers

[Lesley Jay]

You save potatoes from a crop you have grown and store them in a fridge. Bring them out to chit and then plant at the correct time of the year. However, it is not recommended as saved potatoes can carry bacterial spores and fungal pests. This can ruin the crop and also put disease into the ground. The seed potatoes that you buy are certified as being free from viruses and diseases.

[Solitary.Bee]

LJ is right, however...
I have saved my own potatoes for the last 3 years and no sign of disease (so far) just excellent crops, esp. of Desiree, Pink Fir and Arran Pilot

[DAVIESFOZZIE]

I Unfortunatly Used Potatoes From A Bag Bought From A Supermarket And Paid The Price As They Were Diseased And Produced Nothing So I Am Wary Of Saving Any Seeds At All A Friend Of Mine Has An Allotment And Never Buys Seeds As His Were From A Clean Source And He Has Never Had Trouble I Now Will Only Buy Seed Potatoes And Any Other Seeds From A Proven Supplier This Is Money Well Spent

[fivespud364]

yes what the above say is true you should never grow potatoes from shop bought seed as you may then be responsible for introducing some pretty nasty potatoe disesases all seed potatoes are grown in disease free areas to strict controls by DEFRA

For the best advice on potatoes check out http://www.alanromans.com/t-potato.aspx

[philc]

Originally Posted by fivespud364

For the best advice on potatoes check out About Our Potatoes

Mr Romans is a little disparaging about non-Scottish seed quoting trade bodies in Scotland - hardly unbiased opinion! I'm sure very reputable suppliers of seed potatoes such as Tuckers would disagree with the gentleman - if you want a good choice of salad potatoes then the majority of varieties are grown on the continent.

He is right in saying that the Ministry only tests samples of the imports. As its tests are destructive, 100% testing would be a little counter productive - the standard quantity tested is 200 tubers from each shipment, which is typically a small number of 25Kg bags ie a high proportion if my memory of statistics serves me correctly.

btw The most recent outbreak of brown rot in the UK came from UK produced seed.

If the original question was about how do you create new seed (ie a new variety) it involves cross polination, the sowing of the resulting seed (typically 4,000) and then a 7 year selection process followed by 2 - 3 years bulking up the variety to have enough to market.

[Tattieman]

Originally Posted by philc

Mr Romans is a little disparaging about non-Scottish seed quoting trade bodies in Scotland - hardly unbiased opinion! I'm sure very reputable suppliers of seed potatoes such as Tuckers would disagree with the gentleman - if you want a good choice of salad potatoes then the majority of varieties are grown on the continent.

He is right in saying that the Ministry only tests samples of the imports. As its tests are destructive, 100% testing would be a little counter productive - the standard quantity tested is 200 tubers from each shipment, which is typically a small number of 25Kg bags ie a high proportion if my memory of statistics serves me correctly.

btw The most recent outbreak of brown rot in the UK came from UK produced seed.

If the original question was about how do you create new seed (ie a new variety) it involves cross polination, the sowing of the resulting seed (typically 4,000) and then a 7 year selection process followed by 2 - 3 years bulking up the variety to have enough to market.

I just came across this thread and thought I would add my input.
Alan Romans is correct as Scottish seed is regarded as the best in the world.
Tuckers buy Scottish seed from me and other Scottish suppliers.
The testing policy of DEFRA is a waste of time.
Brown rot could only have been imported into this country to infect the UK produced seed.
To produce a new variety would take 12 years and £50000 in costs.
To sum things up I would recommend people in the Uk buy UK only seed so that we can keep all of the nasty diseases out. Please do not plant any super market bought potatoes.

[newtattie]

Just to support tattieman's comments - To state a preference for Scottish Seed potatoes may appear as bias by Mr Roman's however what many do not realise is the stricter controls placed on Scottish Seed production compared to the rest of the UK. Sottish breeders cannot import seed - varieties can be bred by other countries but this must take place on Scottish soil and not be imports. In this way Scottish seed has a higher disease and virus resistance and can stop the introduction and spread of some of the more devastating diseases entering Scottish soil and therefore crops.

Knowing the origins of your seed promotes better results - many gardeners and growers do plant/grow their own seed but it is often the case that they have started from a trustworthy seed purchase - it is well worth researching where to buy your varieties from initially to reap the rewards for years after.

Oh, and just a little extra opinion - think on when you purchase - how are you going to grow - organically/ conventionally - what about high disease resistance organic tubers - often they are no more expensive than conventional.

[Maralyn45]

I am growing potatoes for long time and thanks to god that they never made me upset..