Received Tom taters sampler today!

[David Marek]

Originally Posted by wmontanez

What temperature you have at home?

The cold chamber (plastic curtain draped over a window) was 48F a few days ago, but the outside high temp was 7F that day. I think it is usually 50-55F.

The SVG tubers don't look much different sprout- wise, but the skin has turned purple.

What varieties did you loose?

At least 50%, so I just pulled the marking flags. The loss of Amey was disappointing, it is the only one I can remember at the moment. I did not till the potato growing area and I think that made it easier for the voles to find them. I went nuts with the rototiller this fall and I'll see if I can find some repellent devices that have been recommended.

[wmontanez]

That's heartbreaking, some critter was digging holes at the end of the season near my potatoes as well. I did not lose anything I believe. I am sure that Tom can send you replacements this next season. Have you done cuttings before from potatoes? I have a AKT with roots going pretty strong, also started to shrivel as SVG. I might try the rooting this weekend to see if I get something growing to plant later in the summer and try to get seed for storage more towards end fall... we will see.

[cortona]

very interested on the potato plant reproduction via cutting because i've planted some pureja tuber that sprouts realy hearly and i've now some emerging sprouts, it can be an interessant way to increase the number of my experimental potato patch.
i wil try to sow some seeds next month but reading some old post i think it can be hearly..maybe too hearly...
tips realy welcomed!

[wmontanez]

Emanuele,

For me sowing TPS in January was good to get tubers to try to plant but I did not plan for time to allow the mini tuber to break dormancy and it was June and the tubers were still not sprouting... I got impatient and planted them but nothing came from those. Thinking back I should have hold on to then to plant them later and get seeds in fall... live and learn right? Maybe I will have a nice surprise come spring with volunters. I wrote down the position where I planted them in case they survive all winter.

Sowing TPS in mid March/early April worked best to direct planting them to get tubers in fall (those in the pictures). My safe planting date is late May so basically when I start tomatoes also TPS about 8-10 weeks before setting outdoors.

[cortona]

8 /10 week before last frost..is a perfect timing for me, i expect to have last frost in late march so i think tht i can plant your tps soon :-)
in this moment the potatoes i've sowed in my greenhouse are showing some sign of foliage.... live and learn. right!;-)

[David Marek]

I have so many tubers from 2010 TPS, I will be plenty busy. One that made it was 423658. I think this is one of the varieties with late blight resistance.

I also plan to start my TPS at the same time as my tomatoes. Somewhat like a tomato, they start out so tiny, then suddenly explode.

I read about making rooting cuttings from virus free tubers in tropical areas ( I think usually higher elevation around 1000-2500 meters, but I might be wrong about that). So far, my conditions on the light stand in the basement are not right. I think the light is too bright and the humidity is very low. The big difference seems to be between LOW light an NO light. From what I have read, I do not know if any leaves are supposed to form, but the sprouts should be grown, then cut and stuck in dirt and rooted under low light. After the roots form, the light should be increased. I may be doing myself a favor by delaying the sprouts, anyway, as the method is called "RAPID multiplication".

very interested on the potato plant reproduction via cutting because i've planted some pureja tuber that sprouts realy hearly and i've now some emerging sprouts

Sounds like an interesting one to try that with. If you have enough, keep plenty to plant the traditional way.

[wmontanez]

Since I am bored without gardening (in winter) until March I will try 2 cuttings and show weekly progress.

[cortona]

wel..i've just two tubers that start sprouting very early and i've planted it with the purpose of propagate it. thanks for your imput about cutting propagation.
wen i have some news i wil try to post some photos
thanks to all!

[wmontanez]

Emanuelle and David,

Here is my first attemp to propagate 2 of Tom's potato plants by "Rapid multiplication". Each tuber seed still has one eye so I think I should be able to save it for later use too.

Day 1 cuttings
First is Adirondacksen x Kern Toro
Second is Skagit Valley Gold

Wendy

[Sundrops]

I really do hate to sound uneducated here but what is TPS?

I've read extensively on tomatoes and just ventured here to potatoes but am having a hard time with the TPS thing. I grow potatoes every year but don't have a clue about what some are saying.

Boo on me!

[wmontanez]

Hello Sundrops!

TPS is an acronym for true potato seeds, sometimes also known as botanical seeds.

Normally people plant last year tubers as 'seed' but in fact they are not truly seeds but a underground stem and the eyes are the stems growing like taking cuttings and what you get is a clone of the plant. TPS are the real seeds made by the potato plant through sexual reproduction when the conditions are right. The resulting seed is different from the mother potato.

I go into a little more detail here in my blog:
http://chacraorganica.blogspot.com/2...ato-seeds.html

http://chacraorganica.blogspot.com/2...ing-to-be.html

Wendy

Originally Posted by Sundrops

I really do hate to sound uneducated here but what is TPS?

I've read extensively on tomatoes and just ventured here to potatoes but am having a hard time with the TPS thing. I grow potatoes every year but don't have a clue about what some are saying.

Boo on me!

[Linda10]

Received my 1# sampler today (Feb 9, 2011) in record time. Wow, Tom doesn't make much profit after postage and all the processing on this. I hope he continues though!

These are the varieties I received. Found lots of information on Skagit Valley Gold, but not on the others. Any additional information appreciated.

Skagit Valley Gold
Again & Again
Azule Rose
Dakotah Elenor
Red Ox
Marijke
King Edward
Muru

[wmontanez]

Hello Linda,

I never heard of the others, probably new creations from last year. I think is best to ask him more about those varieties on this year 1#sampler.

Are you growing TPS also?

[wmontanez]

Emanuelle and David,

Progress of the cuttings. I let them root in one container with soiless media plus a sprinkle of mycorrizae. This week I lifted one and had lots of roots. Yesterday I transplanted them into 2 separate containers one for each variety until they develop more leaves. How are yours going?

week#1

[Linda10]

Thanks Wendy. Yes, I ordered 2 packages of TPS for later this year: Nordic October and Yungay.