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Self-seeding spuds

[Glen][Glen] Posts: 76
in Fruit & veg
After harvesting I left a large number of potato fruits in the garden.

This year among the weeds in my unkept lawn are a few self-seeded spuds. Being accustomed to my soil might result in vigorous plants, but readings suggest that letting nature take its course could lead to a produce that is watery and insipid.

The International Potato Centre (cipotato.org) suggests that wild Solanum sp. are inedible; and that S. ochoanum may be a direct descendent of cultivated S. tuberosum potatoes. It is hypothesised that S. ochoanum morphed in fewer than 200 years. 

I would like to know if potato cultivars do anything specific to keep their produce tasty and edible?

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    do you mean seeds as in those things at the top of the stem after flowering?
    Or seed potatoes, which are just potatoes?
    Any you left in the soil will produce the same variety as you planted


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • [Glen][Glen] Posts: 76
    edited August 2018
    I mean the green fruits at the top of the stem after flowering. I had many bunches of them last year.

    I am aware that plucking them off results in better tubers, but I did't do that. The new variety would be crossed with anything the pollinators brought with them.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    my guess is what you have could produce a good bad or indifferent spud and possibly not all the same. I imagine breeders constantly grow from seed to produce a new variety and throw 99% away 


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • BLTBLT Posts: 525
    I have read all the above posts and have to sy to the original poster.. You said your garden is 'Unkempt' so maybe there in lies the answer.

    I grow potatoesin large potato sacks, planters and even in the ground. I carefully harvest my crop from each container or bed and I remove all potatoes no matter how tiny. As I might want to rotate a different crop to that space next time..

    All those tiny potatoes go in my compost bin. Anything usable is used.. I never mix varieties either. I think you need to make some changes in how you plant and harvest in the futrue.. Good luck. We call those top growth  green things 'Potato berries.. I rarely see any as I try to water evenly and earth up..

    Good luck next time

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Not clear how earthing up and watering would prevent the fruits of the potato plants following the flowers  :/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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