Heritage vigour - potatoes
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:27 pm
2 years ago I bought some of Alan Roman's microplants, saved the seed from a couple of varieties - Witchhill and Salad Blue - and grew them last year. Unfortunately, with the blight I didn't get a large crop and only kept some of the smallest tubers. Not expecting them to keep and because the regulations had changed to allow these varieties to be sold as Conservation grade, I also ordered some of these together with Charlotte, Rooster and Maris Piper.
Much to my surprise the tiny tubers I kept all sprouted, so I potted them on. They still grew, so I put them into 13.5 litres pots in the greenhouse - until last week (too hot now). And am enjoying some very nice new potatoes.
But what was very interesting was the fact that the conservation grade Witchhill (latish first early) and Salad Blue (Early Main)appear to be far more vigorous than the other varieties. They appeared at least 10 days earlier and have romped away. Looks like the effects of cleaning up varieties with tissue culture lasts quite a few years.
Much to my surprise the tiny tubers I kept all sprouted, so I potted them on. They still grew, so I put them into 13.5 litres pots in the greenhouse - until last week (too hot now). And am enjoying some very nice new potatoes.
But what was very interesting was the fact that the conservation grade Witchhill (latish first early) and Salad Blue (Early Main)appear to be far more vigorous than the other varieties. They appeared at least 10 days earlier and have romped away. Looks like the effects of cleaning up varieties with tissue culture lasts quite a few years.