Seed potatoes in packs of 10

[Chantal]

But it says in your link that it's derived from "potato sprouts, tomatoes and nightshade".

I understand the potato priciple but I'm still confused over the tomato aspect.

[alan refail]

Solanine is in all the solanaceae in varying amounts - high in deadly nightshade, low in tomatoes and potatoes, but concetrated in the green parts of potatoes caused by exposure to light and in the sprouts (which you wouldn't eat anyway)

Alan

[Chantal]

Thank you.

[mandylew]

we are in tyne and wear but used to live in harrogate (i had an allotment at Starbeck) can you tell me the name of the garden centre please, we oftemn make trips back.

mandy

[acrylicspud]

Thanks for the info Alan. So what happens to the original 'seed' potato under the ground then... does it become the base of the foliage?

[alan refail]

The shoots grow on and the "seed" potato withers or rots. Watch out when digging new potatoes and you'll often find a very wet smelly one which is the original tuber.

Alan

[gloworm]

I get mine of the veg counter at Sainsburys, much cheaper & I still get a good crop.

[alan refail]

Gloworm

I'm sure you're happy with this method, but it is not good advice or best practice. Also it doesn't give you much choice of interesting varieties - which is surely what growing vegetables is all about.
Does Sainsburys sell Epicure, Red Duke of York, Edzell Blue, Mr Bresee, Shetland Black, Yukon Gold, Dunbar Standard, Kerr's Pink, Russet Burbank, Roseval, BF15, Samba, Ambo, Malin, Vales Sovereign? If not, you are missing out on some delights.

Alan

[gloworm]

I quite agree with you that it limits choice, but why do you say it is not good advice or best practice ? If the object is to grow some standard spuds why not ? The supermarket potatoes will be from commercial growers who presumbably use new seed pots then the ones on the Sainsburys counter are once grown seed, perfectly acceptable for a gardener, and you can save some money.

[alan refail]

Simple answer Gloworm

Seed potatoes are certified virus free, ware potatoes (e.g. Sainsbury's veg counter) are not.

http://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/aphidsviruses.pdf

I saved my own seed of about 40 varieties for many years, then they all, in the same year, succumbed to various problems and I had a very poor crop. Now I always buy in new seed.

Alan

[gloworm]

Alan,

If you saved your seed for many years without a problem, what's the problem if in one year you had a difficulty, you might have had trouble with new seed anyway. I do buy new seed sometimes, for, like you say variety, but I've never had trouble with once grown Sainsburys.

[alan refail]

Hi Gloworm

Fair point, but what I should have said was that my saved varieties succumbed to the same loss of vigour, not other problems. This would not have happened with new seed.

By the way, just out of interest, I checked the price of King Edwards on Sainsbury's website - 71pence a kilo. I can choose between Edwin Tuckers at average £3.30 for 3 kilos (admittedly plus very reasonable carriage costs), or my local garden centre at 80pence a kilo (buy as many or as few as I like - 30+varieties to choose from).

Alan

[Multiveg]

I went to Ryton potato day because I thought there was no-where locally that sold seed potatoes loose. Am about 20 miles from you Alan, so would be interested to know name of garden centre which sold them loose this year - just in case we don't go mad enough and buy 100+ seeds (like a previous year), restrained but finding we lack some second earlies or something!

[alan refail]

Our two local garden centres are Tyddyn Sachau at Y Ffor and Gardencraft at Tremadog. Both sell a good range of seed potatoes loose every year. I don't know about the two near Caernarfon (Frongoch at Llanfaglan and Canolfan Arddio Seiont near Pontrug), but I imagine they will.

Cofion gorau

Alan