Lateral branching, long stolons etc in potatoes-Pictures

[Salsacharley]

I am curious as to why lateral growth is desirable. It would seem that more production per square foot would be more desireable. If a plant can produce 6 or more pounds of potatoes but takes up twice the space to do so, why not just go for the same production in half the space?

[wmontanez]

I am curious as to why lateral growth is desirable.

Hi Salsacharley,
I never said it was desirable or not. The first post of this thread explains why I started this topic.....

I wrote: "First attempt to take pictorial evidence of potatoes varieties with potential of setting potatoes along the main stem and sending stolons away from it's original base. My motivation is no other that "Just because" I do see potential that this sort of information will benefit many more people that have curiosity and better themselves at this wonderful hobby of growing delicious food that are not available to the masses or your typical supermarket varieties."

= It would seem that more production per square foot would be more desireable. If a plant can produce 6 or more pounds of potatoes but takes up twice the space to do so, why not just go for the same production in half the space?

Agree. If yield is the most important, then of course.

I also like to maximize my growing space. I have many varieties that grow close to the base. Those are planted closer together. Some are non-commercial available.

But there are many other potatoes that their flavor is superb and I want to grow it too.
Some of those unique potatoes have different growth habits, some have potential to grow lateral and sprawl and give me potatoes during a longer time by setting potatoes at different times, some of this plants even emerge few feet from the 'original' spot and produce a secondary crop.....so "potentially" a person can get more yield on the longer run. Of course this takes space.....And there are some could potentially grow in potato towers.
Some of them I started from Open pollinated True Potato seeds. (different topic alltogether)

My main interest is to gather information and pictures so it benefits people growing this non common types to learn from each other experiences.

[NathanP]

There is also some thought that long stolons would be a favorable trait in vertically grown bins/towers if the stolons are channeled upwards off a taller stem. This may allow for an increase in yield per horizontal square foot.

[MrBig46]

Wendy,
I don´t grow potatoes, but I like to read your reports and I respect for your ebullience. I wish you many succeeds.
Vladimír

[NathanP]

The next problem with bins is the pressure of the soil on the bottom of the bin. It leads to a damage on the Root system and the primary shoots and the plant starts rotting. .

One thing I have heard that might help is mixing the soil with sawdust. Because it is lighter, it would decrease the pressure, and unlike straw, potatoes will root in sawdust. I have tried straw and the stems will not develop roots and stolons in straw.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by NathanP

One thing I have heard that might help is mixing the soil with sawdust. Because it is lighter, it would decrease the pressure, and unlike straw, potatoes will root in sawdust. I have tried straw and the stems will not develop roots and stolons in straw.

There is absolutely no reason to place the soil high, hence no weight. The new tubers need only be covered. Never has there been any new tubers along the main stem. That is what this whole exercise is about.

[wmontanez]

@ MrBig46
Thanks Vladimír! I grow other things too. Tomato, peppers, beans etc
But in 2013 I discovered the taste of Astronomy Domine corn and Koimo Sweet potatoes. Those are my newest excellent tasting crops. I will be blabbling about it in 2014....stay tuned~!

[wmontanez]

ok another potato with lateral branching habit.
I took potatoes of 2in or above, about 1.5lb as new potatoes for Labor day weeked! and left the plant to continue to bulk those tiny tubers now forming on new stolons. I guess I probably go back and take more new potatoes in few weeks until the winter comes~

here you can see one stolon with the end potato about 2in wide attached but along the stolon length there are two more small potatoes forming.



Also more lateral stolons forming new potatoes....some emerged as plants in the left side corner one is clearly a shoot emerging. Distance from the base is about 1ft outward.

[gardensup]

Wendy, this is an interesting attribute. What variety is this?

[wmontanez]

My own creation! I mean bees created it....is Lump D'Oro. From TPS~
It was TPS open pollinated mother Nordic Lumper, father unknown but maybe Skagit Valley Gold.
I like this potato because is good keeper, taste great, cooks fast but only problem is super late like above shows and also little scab prone.

[wmontanez]

[wmontanez]

Red Ox is a determinate type opposite of a lateral branching type, it is compact. I planted 2 pieces and see the potatoes close to the base of the plant, no stolons, no secondary emerging shoots, no tiny potatoes forming (similar growing habit as Yukon gold)

[NathanP]

I found this when I was digging a row over from several Papa Chonca plants today. Stolons that had spread 30 inches, past the row of potatoes that I was digging, and several had potato tubers on the ends of the stolons.

[NathanP]

This was my attempt to show/document harvesting Papa Chonca, which sets tubers primarily on stolons and not in the traditional location where commercial potatoes set tubers, which would be just above the seed tuber.

Video links below, followed by pictures. You will see tubers formed at all levels of the bin. Yield is not great, and probably lower than the same potato in the ground, but Papa Chonca has the main traits you would ideally want in growing a potato in a bin. It constantly sends out stolons and tubers are found at all levels of the bin (except the very bottom, under the original seed tubers). I have never found this potato to flower, and some theorize that it is a very long season potato (240+ days). Thus it may require someone growing it in a different locale to be able to breed it for other traits such as better yield or larger tubers.

Part 1 http://youtu.be/eZzy3EgU3fw
Part 2 http://youtu.be/6-peGjsY9M8
Part 3 http://youtu.be/eOl9R1WyQCc
Part 4 http://youtu.be/Y3mtzPZUAOA
Part 5 http://youtu.be/Pkx1gLk3_uQ

[NathanP]

[Copied from this post -http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=33584], which was about documenting growth in bins this year.

Papa Chonca Harvest - note the numerous stems on top. This potato has very densely rooting stolons and constantly sends up new shoots, both upwards and away from the original tuber when planted in the ground.



Top Layer with board removed



Front Unburied




Exposed tubers growing on stolons



Entire Front with boards removed



Unburied Tuber hanging



Dense roots/stolons




Halfway done digging



Harvested potatoes from the ground (left) vs bin (right)
Weights 4lb 15.5 oz (left) vs 2lb 15.4 oz (right)