Saving seed potatoes

TZ-OH6 · March 29, 2011

The little guys are survivors!

I was pretty burned out from gardening/harvesting last fall when dug up my potatoes (from a wide selection of little seed tubers from Tom). My harvest was mostly small tubers, and production from many plants was low so I was not in a big hurry to eat them. I dug them in Mid October long after the plants had died back and many tubers were already sprouting. I packed them in paper bags and piled them all in a plastic bus tub, and they sat on the floor in the mud room all winter at room temp. I didn't get around to taking them down to the cool garage or basement until a few weeks ago. When I went to check them last week there was almost no rotting, and most of them were not overgrown from early sprouting.

I thought that my irresponsible actions would cost me all of my Tom's Taters, but it looks like planting will go ahead in a couple of weeks with no problems.

**Tom Wagner** · March 30, 2011

Thanks for the interesting string of events with those potatoes. This is not all that different than what has happened to me many times over the years. However, even with all that difficulty...there are seemingly many potatoes that thrive with benign neglect and survive into the next planting. This is but one example of how we can all 'find' potato varieties that are somewhat 'idiot' proof.

Once again...it looks like I am going to pot up potatoes from two seasons ago. Yes, potato tubers grown in 2009 surviving well enough to be planted again. I have dozens of varieties I did this with last year with the 2008 crop and by growing more of these kinds of potatoes....it may well help those in the future who don't have ideal storage conditions.

David Marek · April 25, 2011

Ready for planting.

March 29, 2011	#1
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 848	Saving seed potatoes The little guys are survivors! I was pretty burned out from gardening/harvesting last fall when dug up my potatoes (from a wide selection of little seed tubers from Tom). My harvest was mostly small tubers, and production from many plants was low so I was not in a big hurry to eat them. I dug them in Mid October long after the plants had died back and many tubers were already sprouting. I packed them in paper bags and piled them all in a plastic bus tub, and they sat on the floor in the mud room all winter at room temp. I didn't get around to taking them down to the cool garage or basement until a few weeks ago. When I went to check them last week there was almost no rotting, and most of them were not overgrown from early sprouting. I thought that my irresponsible actions would cost me all of my Tom's Taters, but it looks like planting will go ahead in a couple of weeks with no problems.

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March 30, 2011	#2
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	Thanks for the interesting string of events with those potatoes. This is not all that different than what has happened to me many times over the years. However, even with all that difficulty...there are seemingly many potatoes that thrive with benign neglect and survive into the next planting. This is but one example of how we can all 'find' potato varieties that are somewhat 'idiot' proof. Once again...it looks like I am going to pot up potatoes from two seasons ago. Yes, potato tubers grown in 2009 surviving well enough to be planted again. I have dozens of varieties I did this with last year with the 2008 crop and by growing more of these kinds of potatoes....it may well help those in the future who don't have ideal storage conditions.