Grow Potatoes from true seed

Has anyone ever grown potatoes from true seed?

I have a volunteer popped up from my Purple Majesty potatoes I planted last year. I remember they fruited last year and it has again this year. This year i have planted Highland Burgundy. So possibly a cross between the two but who knows.

So I see that I can collect the seeds from the fruit and plant and end up with my own potato. Sounds like an interesting project. The source i have read suggests planting in winter as they take longer to develop. So I think indoors but when exactly? This year or next?

Would be interested to know if anyone has done it and what were the results.

Mike

 

Yup appreciate it would be totally pot luck. It is really only a little side project. I'm thinking of starting the seeds off indoors in pots in the new year then transplanting out.

 

The Lost Art of Potato Breeding (Garden Alchemy): Amazon.co.uk: Rebsie Fairholm: 9781908011190: Books

 

I remember a discussion on TPS (true potato seed) a few years back on another forum, might be worth you having a read through it.

Growing potatoes from True Potato seed.

Steve...

 

Good link I have had a skim through it.

I now see my spare room filled with potato seedlings next march and then half my garden dedicated to potato production. Perhaps this isn't a good idea! I grew tomatoes for the first time this year and am hooked.

Really like the idea of having my own house strain of potato. According to the thread linked every seed in the pod would produce a slightly different genetic variation. I will have to plant them all.

 

Here is a wee pic of some of the potato fruits. None of the other potatoes I planted this year or last produced any, just the purple majesty.

 

I seem to remember doing this many years ago when I was a keen youngster

Think I ended up with a couple of very scabby potatoes, but it was a long time ago.
Sowed in very early spring.

Not quite the same thing but I've also tried stem cuttings, just ended up with one spud per plant.