Purple Valley in the sun / heat

Mark0820 · June 10, 2012

I'm growing TPS for the first time this year. I didn't order until late in the year, so I just transplanted my seedlings about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks ago (with hopes of getting golf ball size tubers to plant next year).

The seedlings have been outside for quite some time. Yesterday and today, the temperature was in the high 80's. My Purple Valley seedlings look like they roasted in the sun (the leaves are dry and crunchy). All of my other varieties show no signs of stress and appear to be very healthy. Is there something in the genes of Purple Valley that causes it not to tolerate heat very well, or did something else contribute to its demise?

**Tom Wagner** · June 11, 2012

PURPLE VALLEY USDA B 0850-4 x USDA B 0975-1 and the parents.

I had both of the parents back a few years ago...but I don't have the pedigree of those in front of me. I don't know of anything in the pedigree that would cause the malady you experienced. Appears to be more related to a fertilizer burn, but then again, I don't know.

I will check with other customers of Purple Valley TPS to inquire.

Mark0820 · June 17, 2012

I wasn't very clear in my first post. The transplant I referred to is the initial transplant of the seedlings into individual plastic cups (1 seedling per cup). Therefore, I haven't fertilized them yet.

I'm wondering if it could be the plastic cups. Since it was late in the year, I decided to just re-use the plastic cups I had my tomato plants in (16 oz. cups). Because the potato seedlings were small (relative to the cup size), I planted them half way down in the cup with the idea that as they grew, I would just add potting mix around them.

A few days ago, I just happened to put my hand down by the cups and they were radiating quite a bit of heat. I'm wondering if the plastic cups had a slight greenhouse effect and cooked the potato seedlings (since the seedlings were half way down the cup). However, if this was the case it is still odd that only the Purple Valley seedlings cooked in the cups (which again might lead me to wonder how well they tolerate heat).

We are two days into a 7 day period of temperatures in the 88 - 90 degree range. I have been bringing the seedlings in the house at 1:00 pm and taking them back out around 6:30 pm to keep them from being in the sunlight during the hottest part of the day. I just wanted to be safe so I didn't lose any additional seedlings.

Mark0820 · July 3, 2012

There was one Purple Valley seedling where the top leaves were not crunchy, and I was able to save that one plant. I transplanted it to a 2 gallon bucket last night.

It was a lot easier growing potatoes in the cool weather of April than it is in the 96-100 degree temperatures we have had for sometime now. All of my seedlings are growing at a very slow pace in this heat.

June 10, 2012	#1
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	Purple Valley in the sun / heat I'm growing TPS for the first time this year. I didn't order until late in the year, so I just transplanted my seedlings about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks ago (with hopes of getting golf ball size tubers to plant next year). The seedlings have been outside for quite some time. Yesterday and today, the temperature was in the high 80's. My Purple Valley seedlings look like they roasted in the sun (the leaves are dry and crunchy). All of my other varieties show no signs of stress and appear to be very healthy. Is there something in the genes of Purple Valley that causes it not to tolerate heat very well, or did something else contribute to its demise?

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June 11, 2012	#2
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	PURPLE VALLEY USDA B 0850-4 x USDA B 0975-1 and the parents. I had both of the parents back a few years ago...but I don't have the pedigree of those in front of me. I don't know of anything in the pedigree that would cause the malady you experienced. Appears to be more related to a fertilizer burn, but then again, I don't know. I will check with other customers of Purple Valley TPS to inquire.

June 17, 2012	#3
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	I wasn't very clear in my first post. The transplant I referred to is the initial transplant of the seedlings into individual plastic cups (1 seedling per cup). Therefore, I haven't fertilized them yet. I'm wondering if it could be the plastic cups. Since it was late in the year, I decided to just re-use the plastic cups I had my tomato plants in (16 oz. cups). Because the potato seedlings were small (relative to the cup size), I planted them half way down in the cup with the idea that as they grew, I would just add potting mix around them. A few days ago, I just happened to put my hand down by the cups and they were radiating quite a bit of heat. I'm wondering if the plastic cups had a slight greenhouse effect and cooked the potato seedlings (since the seedlings were half way down the cup). However, if this was the case it is still odd that only the Purple Valley seedlings cooked in the cups (which again might lead me to wonder how well they tolerate heat). We are two days into a 7 day period of temperatures in the 88 - 90 degree range. I have been bringing the seedlings in the house at 1:00 pm and taking them back out around 6:30 pm to keep them from being in the sunlight during the hottest part of the day. I just wanted to be safe so I didn't lose any additional seedlings.

July 3, 2012	#4
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	There was one Purple Valley seedling where the top leaves were not crunchy, and I was able to save that one plant. I transplanted it to a 2 gallon bucket last night. It was a lot easier growing potatoes in the cool weather of April than it is in the 96-100 degree temperatures we have had for sometime now. All of my seedlings are growing at a very slow pace in this heat.