Baby potaoes vs. seed potatoes

[dirt dauber]

Anybody have any ideas about which is better, baby potatoes or planting seed potatoes? This is my first year growing potatoes and im not sure which is best. Im thinking of planting baby tubers vs. quartering seed potatoes. What are the pro and cons of each? Thanks

[Redbaron]

Certified seed potatoes are generally best. Less disease. But they are more expensive. Also Tom sells seed (TPS) and a few others sell seed too. That is generally free of disease too.

[Tom Wagner]

Dirt,

Potatoes are graded by size.

Sizes

• Size A: 1-7/8 inch and larger, 40% over 2-1/2 inches or 6 oz.
• Size B: 1-1/2 inch – 2-1/14 inches, sometimes called new potatoes
• Baby: 1-1/2 inch and smaller, usually packed in pint baskets or tubs

I am using the above description since it actually says "Baby" and it is a distinction of a potato size smaller than "B" which is the preferred size to plant potatoes. The fact that you don't have to cut the potatoes...labor...and less rot using whole tubers is quite evident to anyone planting potatoes in wet cold soil. One normally does not find "BABY" potato sizes in certified seed potatoes that are bought for replanting purposes. If you are planting from a specially packed retail offering....it is best to use organically grown since they are not treated with sprout inhibitors but then again there is no proof that diseases are minimal.

Cut seed pieces are often planted since only one or two eyes are present and that leads to just one stem or so emerging which helps produce fewer but larger tubers. Whole size tubers, especially if aged a bit will produce many stems and as a result: more and smaller tubers. I tend to want multi-stem hills since smaller tubers are easier to plant again.

Tubers of small size can result in potato stalks of less girth upon emergence but potato tubers can be planted with sizes down to 1/8 of an inch...however those of that size are usually planted by yours truly in 72 cell trays for transplanting later.

Many times I sow TPS in August so that I can harvest tubers in December and have little baby tubers perfect for planting in the Spring. Here is a picture of one "hill" of potatoes grown in a cube of soil not bigger than one inch in diameter. The tubers were from one plant and the tubers are smaller than a frozen pea used for size comparison. The potato shown is a g.g. granddaugter of a Lumper potato variety. Keeping good even in my condo after two months post harvest.

[gardensup]

Tom, this is great information and very helpful.

My growing season is short and I dig my potatoes at the end of September and plant in mid May. As a result, my 1/8 - 1/4 inch pea sized tubers are now shrivelled like raisins. Half are somewhat soft while the rest are almost hard. I am going to assume that only the soft ones are worth starting in the 72 cell trays.

In order to look at other planting options with my smaller B sized tubers, I was wondering:

1. What is the smallest size of tuber from which pull sprouts can successfully be taken?

2. What is the smallest size of tuber that you can successfully cut in half and direct plant?

3. Since Baby tubers have the same number of eyes as full sized tubers, should they have the same 10-12 inch planting distance when transplanted from the 72 cell trays?

[Tom Wagner]

My growing season is short and I dig my potatoes at the end of September and plant in mid May. As a result, my 1/8 - 1/4 inch pea sized tubers are now shrivelled like raisins. Half are somewhat soft while the rest are almost hard. I am going to assume that only the soft ones are worth starting in the 72 cell trays.

The extremely short seasons are not friendly to tiny tubers produced from TPS if the small tubers are dug in September. Pea sized tubers will dry out…or sprout to a moisture limit and then dry down to that raisin. They need to be kept hydrated or potted up before they reach the point of no return. If that happens out of season you’ve got problems.

In order to look at other planting options with my smaller B sized tubers, I was wondering:

1. What is the smallest size of tuber from which pull sprouts can successfully be taken?

Pull sprouts…pulling sprouts as they root and emerge above the soil line can be done with just about any size tuber…the smaller tubers may not have enough energy left to shoot up again.

2. What is the smallest size of tuber that you can successfully cut in half and direct plant?

You really don’t want seed pieces cut into less than one ounce sizes…the idea is that you want enough starch material to grow the sprouts upwards and emerge strong. Smaller cut pieces do better if just barely covered since you want quick emergence since the starch reserves are compromised. One must hill them up judiciously as they grow to get the seed piece buried to at least 6 inches as the season progresses. I do routinely cut golf ball sized tubers into four if I really want to increase a variety in a hurry.

3. Since Baby tubers have the same number of eyes as full sized tubers, should they have the same 10-12 inch planting distance when transplanted from the 72 cell trays?