Potatoes going to seed?

[lesa]

I know we have talked about this before...but I can't seem to find the thread. After our potatoes bloomed this year, quite a few of them developed little round fruit (above ground). I have never had this happen before. Can I save those seeds and grow my own seed potatoes?

 

[so lucky]

I think @flowerweaver does that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can try. it might even be fun. But because those seeds are not "pure" genetically (not even hybrid but much more mixed up genetically) you can't be anywhere close to sure what you will get. it's a lot like planting apple seeds. You might get something useful but you will most likely get something you don't want. You might get something useful that you really like, reproduce it from seed potatoes so they are clones, and name the new variety yourself. But that's a long shot.

 

[digitS']

I believe that they would have to start from seed planted indoors.

But, until that very low-latitude @flowerweaver gets here with better answers, you can look at this:
Potato Seed Collecting in Utah.

Steve

 

[Hal]

Growing potatoes from true seed is a fantastic thing to do. You have two advantages, seed grown potatoes are a good way to remove some disease issues that build up from cloning and secondly you can select for potatoes suited to your conditions or other needs. It is easy to do and does not take long compared to other vegetables.

 

[Carol Dee]

Interesting.

 

[digitS']

Here is the TEG thread:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/help-settle-a-fight.16197/

Maybe, we are ready for a round 2 !



Steve

 

[lesa]

Thanks for finding that, Steve! Okay... now I am excited to try and save some of these seeds. Stay tuned!

 

[PhilaGardener]

@lesa , great project! I wait until the plants are dying back to pick the potato berries so that the seeds have matured. Pulse them in a blender with a bit of water to break them up (the seeds are small and hard and not easily damaged, so don't be concerned!) and then let the mixture ferment for several days, as when prepping tomato seeds. This process removes tightly-clinging pulp and leaches out a germination inhibitor. Then air dry the seeds, well-separated so they don't stick in clumps, and store in a tightly closed container. Because of residual amounts of that germination inhibitor, germination rates may be moderate the first year of storage and actually improve after that. Good luck!

 

[lesa]

Thanks for the tips! When I opened up one of them with my nail, it seemed like the seeds were the size of morning glory seeds-not very tiny. I will wait until the plants are dying, as you suggest- before peeking at them again.