Klondike Rose Potatoes

[tam91]

I've never grown potatoes, but I had this variety from the store, and we really loved them. So I'm wondering if it's possible to grow them myself. No idea if this is an actual variety, brand name, etc. They're baby potatoes - gold like a Yukon Gold, with red skins. And they are absolutely delicious.

http://klondikerose.com/

Any idea if they can be grown at home? I have a few here - should I be saving them to grow somehow?

And... are potatoes easy? I have no clue how to grow them.

[Tom Wagner]

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?p=141182
is a thread that is similar to your question.

Klondike Rose is a brand name used by the parent company Green Giant for the variety Rosara. Rosara is a German variety that is about 20 years old already. The Rosara name is kept under the radar most of the time and we may be seeing more variety names showing up as a different marketing name.

ROSARA: A cross of SECURA x 2605/77 -- from Germany BRD-- released 1990 --experimental number before released was H 29/83. Bred by the company SAKA-RAGIS

I have grown Rosara when I was in California 7 years ago. Almost all of the Rosara (Klondike Rose) will be treated with anti-sprouting chemicals. If you want to grow them, you must find the occasional tuber that finally escapes the residulal chemical sprout control. You will see them in the bag if you leave them under the sink...those that will grow will only be the ones that have fairly long and vigorous sprouts.

As a side note....I have been breeding potatoes to get many colors and red skinned, yellow fleshed potatoes have been a specialty of mine. I have many dozens of varieties that one could compare with Klondike Rose. To make it even more fun....I have lots of true seed --TPS-- that would give up all kinds of flavor along with the red/yellow traits.

The nice thing about having an on-line source for this category of potato is to allow folks to make up their own mind about the better varieties of red skinned, yellow fleshed potatoes.

My Awol Dude is one of these types of potatoes. I also have a seedling from it called Awol Again. A seedling yet of this is Again and Again...a highly inbred red/yellow of which the TPS is true to type.

Tom Wagner

[tam91]

Thanks Tom.

How interesting. I will have to go read up on how to grow potatoes - I've never even seen a potato plant.

Umm... what is TPS? I thought potato plants were grown from a bit of potato?

And, are your varieties available? Sounds lovely - it was the taste of the Klondike Rose that we liked - baked them up in thin-sliced rounds with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. If some were even better...

[kath]

Originally Posted by tam91

Umm... what is TPS? I thought potato plants were grown from a bit of potato?

And, are your varieties available?

Not, Tom, but TPS= True Potato Seed.

And check out:

www.Newworldcrops.com

[wmontanez]

Originally Posted by tam91

Umm... what is TPS? I thought potato plants were grown from a bit of potato?

Tam,

I talked about TPS in this post: http://tomatoville.com/showpost.php?...2&postcount=56

And, are your varieties available?

Tom has TPS varieties listed here http://newworldcrops.com/wp/shop/potato-seeds/

For tubers there are 1# sampler which it is very nice to try different types

[tam91]

Oh great, thank you!

[David Marek]

Originally Posted by Tom Wagner

I have grown Rosara when I was in California 7 years ago. Almost all of the Rosara (Klondike Rose) will be treated with anti-sprouting chemicals. If you want to grow them, you must find the occasional tuber that finally escapes the residual chemical sprout control. You will see them in the bag if you leave them under the sink...those that will grow will only be the ones that have fairly long and vigorous sprouts.

Tam, I'm glad you asked about this one. I was also suspicious about the name. I had a bag I put to the side for sprouting, but no sprouts, so they are being eaten. I have so many varieties from Tom, I figured why bother with an easy to find commercial variety? I plant TPS inside at tomato time, seed tubers mid-april then mulch with straw mid-late may and add more as needed.

[tam91]

So, potato complete newbie here - you get tomatoes to eat the first year from the TPS?

I have some still sitting here that I haven't eaten yet, no sign of sprouts.

[Tom Wagner]

So, potato complete newbie here - you get tomatoes to eat the first year from the TPS?

Lol on the floor, falling over backwards....

No, you don't get tomatoes from TPS. TPS are potatoes, not tomatoes. The fruit of a potato is called potato berry, seed ball, potato fruits, etc., and is not edible in any fashion....it is bitter and toxic to most mammals. I have eaten many a berry but had to spit them out and rince my mouth out with water. Some potato berries are so aromatic that you would swear that they have some use as food, but sadly no. I think you really meant .....Do you get tubers to eat the first year form the TPS? and the answer is yes.

I have some still sitting here that I haven't eaten yet, no sign of sprouts.

If you just bought them you may have to wait several months to find the Klondike tubers that escaped the sprout nip. If they do sprout the sprout will most likely be a tiny tight rosette of a sprout. Very short and gnarly like a tiny cauliflower. But don't blame the packer; they are trying to have a potato with a longer shelf life and the sprouting control is to hinder if not eliminate the possibility of propagation.

Tom Wagner

[tam91]

Oh dear, I guess it's too late for a little edit, isn't it? Well, glad to provide some amusement then potato, tomato... they do rhyme...

Thank you for the information. Or maybe I'll just try some of yours instead. And I don't blame the packer - I just had to throw out some other potatoes that were sprouting, and they weren't that old. So having some shelf life is a good thing.