More seed potatoes to add to my collection

Purple Peruvian, French Fingerling, 
Ruby Crescent, Russian Banana

Today I added an assortment of fingerling type potatoes to my collection of tubers to grow next summer. I am so happy to have a growing assortment of tubers and TPS seeds. 





Purple Peruvian
I grew some of these last year.  They are mixed up with the exotic potatoes I have. So I bought more to keep them separated this year. 

Russian Banana Fingerling Small 4-5" banana-shaped tubers with light yellow to brown skin and yellow flesh

 It is hard to tell which is which on the red ones.You almost have to cut open to find the specks of red color

French fingerlings 80+ days, mid-season 
red skin with yellow flesh that is specked with red spots
Tubers are larger and more oval in shape than Russian Banana, 

Ruby Crescent  Large fingerling with rose colored skin and yellow flesh

Why potatoe form mini tubers

I have had a number of potato tubers form tiny potatoes on the side of them. Kinda like the potato had baby's attached. Sometimes it is caused by the tuber being old. Yet, this one was never dug up from growing new. I have heard a potato can do this if it is stressed also. 

Dry potato with small micro tubers attached

I was never able to harvest this plant. The top died back like it was time to harvest. Yet, new growth was forming from the new potatoes. With all the rain and temperature up and down. I think this broke the dormancy of the new tuber. Or it had no dormancy in it. I do not have a name for this potato. It was part of an exotic variety pack I ordered to grow this year. It did have a dark purple to brown woody stem and purple flowers.

wet potato tuber to show more color

It seems the loner I leave these micro tubers attached the more they grow and the parent potato shrinks from feeding it. I have them sitting out of soil now. Yet they continue to enlarge. Adding water to the parent helps it to survive and re-hydrate a bit. If I were to put it in moist cocoa coir it would help to re-hydrate it more. Yet it could create roots to get the get plant process going again.

Chosing potatoes to grow in the garden

I know it is fall and time to put the garden to sleep. LOL. I have been ordering and planing next years garden the last month or more. I think I had spring fever all summer long. I was happy with my potato harvest this year. But, I want productive plants.I have seen many Youtube videos showing great harvests in the United Kingdom. Charlotte in one potato, I have been looking to add to my collection. It is the first bag on the left of this photo. These are all 1 pound bags.

+

You can judge from the tuber that  the potato is a good size for cooking. The Huckleberry potato is close in size.  Skin color is a maroon-beet red and the flesh is dark pink with white marbling.  So this potato may be full of antioxidants. When you find things with colors like purple they somehow have more nutrients and health benefits. So I am also looking to add and keep potatoes like this growing. 

Also I want plants that can produce potato berry's. Because, I want to breed my own potatoes. Or collect seed from them.  If they are tetraploids, nature will take care of them and the bees will pollinate them. But they have a good chance of being male sterile. Like most commercial potatoes,  that do not produce berry's.  Where Diploid requires another plant to cross pollinate with.  They are harder to work with.

I also received Rose Finn Apple fingerling.(beige skin and deep yellow flesh) Even though it is a small potato, it looks like it produces many per a plant.
It is a late-season 105–135 days heirloom variety. I thought would be interesting to try. I have read reviews that they have stored well. So that is another trait I want in my potato collection. 

Seed potatoes to grow in 2016

Muru

Blue and white potatoes, patterns of splashes. Will segregate for white flesh or partially blue flesh. Good blight resistance

Huagalina   PI 619141 Peru

Tetraploid. Very late maturity (probably has some day-length sensitivity). Tiny, yellow with red splashes, yellow flesh. 

Katahdin

Tetraploid. Round white, flavor typical of a commercial potato

 

Touch Down 

Tetraploid. White skin, white flesh, descended from a high-flavored line

Pig Knuckles:
Tetraploid. Pink skin with yellow and pink flesh. Some frost resistance in the tubers.
Pokhipsie
Variable shape and colors. Red, yellow, and purple with assorted flesh colors. Diploid.

Maris Piper
 GRIN: PI 377745
 Floury white-fleshed potato. Sets tuber high. early-mid season
Bora Valley
GRIN: PI 634776
 medium-late maturing potato cultivar with purple skin and flesh color, good processing quality, and excellent stability. It has medium plant height and dark foliage. ‘Bora Valley’ has a profuse flowering habit and light purple flowers. Tubers have smooth skin, round, with medium eye depth, and short to medium dormancy. It has stable yield under wide range of climatic conditions. This variety is grown in Korea for raw eating - NOT a cooking potato

TPS seeds for 2016

Pig knuckle  purple berry
Yukon gold
Huagalina PI 619141 Peru

Chaucha Amarilla CIP 703308  Peru (Open pollinated)  Genus Solanum, Species phureja

Blue

Tollocan  (Tom Wagner)
yellow skin and flesh 
seedling of Tollocan Fiesta

white Fingerling

Red tuber fingerling

Chiar Choque Pitu PI 604207 (Bolivia) (BE-4832 < Other names> Q 30933 )
 female parent is a S. x curtilobum, a pentaploid, so ploidy of the progeny is probably variable. [60 chromosomes instead of 48].

Late harvest
Tetra mix, White- tuber/flesh/flowers
  
 (TL)

Choosing potatoes for my garden

 It is kinda sad to see the end of this years garden. Yet fun to collect and put away the bounty. I have been so happy with the potato garden doing well this year. When I go to some of the local places that sell from there home. I see my potatoes came out bigger and healthier than theirs. It puts a smile on my face.

What I learned from this year is, some of the exotic potatoes should have been planted closer. I did not have enough info on them to know they were small fingerling type of potatoes. So they will be planted closer together next spring.

My plans for next year

I will continue to grow potatoes from TPS (True botanical seeds).

 What I am looking for is productive sustainable potatoes to add to my collection. So this winter I will continue to research and buy some, that may be more productive and produce berry's. .I placed an order for the ones below. They will come some time in October. So I will have to store them for the winter.

 Desiree  ( 95-100 days, Mid season)
 I have read it is a red-skinned main-crop potato originally bred in the Netherlands in 1962. Disease resistance It has a waxy, yellow flesh with a distinctive flavor. I have seen many in the UK grow it on videos. It seems very productive.  I have also seen potato berry's and TPS seed collected from it. 
 General purpose potato (best for Mash potatoes) 

Purple Majesty (85 days, Early season)
Plant should be under 2 foot tall. With a spread of about 12-15 inches.
Purple inside and out. Said to be full of antioxidants The tubers may be small in size. Will update after I grow them. This plant can set berry's for TPS seed collection.

Viking Purple (90 to 100 days, Mid season)
 Pink/red-splashed purple skin, white flesh.
Small-to-medium spreading plant, yet it produces 3 1/2 to 4-inch round tubers some times larger. These tubers grow near the soil surface so keep the ground covered to prevent greening.  Needs the soil to be lose and fertile.
 Good for baking or mashing
.
 Russian Banana Fingerling (80-90 days)
Plant is under 2 foot tall around 8 inch wide.
Crescent-shaped small 4-5 inch tubers, yellow/tan skin with yellow flesh.
The plant can produce potato berry's.(TPS)
 perfect for boiling, roasting and baking


Yellow Finn.( 95-100 days) (Mid season)
dark yellow flesh tan to yellow like skin. Medium size tubers.
I have read it very productive, and has a buttery sweet flavor.
Good general purpose potato.  (boiling, mashing, frying, or baking).

Oct 15, update
I just ordered 1 pound each @ $7.00 per pound


77CHA     Charlotte - Certified Seed Potato    Early-Season
    Good producer of medium oblong nuggets, sometimes slightly crescent shaped, with very thin, golden yellow skin and flesh with shallow eyes. Great salad variety, excellent storage qualities.(waxy tubers and creamy yellow flesh)

77HU  Huckleberry - Certified Seed Potato (aka Cranberry Red)  Early-Season
 90-110 days. Skin color is a maroon-beet red and the flesh is dark pink with white marbling. Has an oblong potato shape, medium to medium-large tubers and is a consistent producer of vigorous medium to medium-large tubers. This is definitely one of a kind. Named after the legendary wild huckleberry of the Northern Rockies.  Early (for tubers to steal without disrupting the vines) and mid-season for a larger crop to harvest once the vines have naturally died. And it sets seed pods

77RFA     Rose Finn Apple Fingerling - Seed Potato Fingerling
90 to 110 days. A rosy colored skin with deep yellow flesh and a waxy, firm texture. finger-shaped spuds 2 to 5 ounces each.  A great roasting potato. Delectable flavor and a fine keeper with vigorous vines. Many chefs are finding that these potatoes cooked and pureed lend themselves well as a soup thickener for sauces and gravies. A fine keeper with vigorous upright vines. Mid-Season variety. 
12 to 18 inches tall but spreads up to 4 feet wide
TPS  added
Pokhipsie
Purple Vally
USDA B 0850-4 x USDA B 0975-1purple skin and partially blue fresh), will throw lots of non purple (blue flesh)
POTATO VALLEY CO. LTD. Korea
Mt. St Helen
Pam Wagner
Anna's Gold

Planting potatoes from pull sprouts

On the 16 th of March I took the potatoes that have been growing in soil since the end of February. I carefully separated them from the mother/tuber. Then divided them up into individual plants.   The ones that were tiny and had small amounts of roots were left on the tuber and returned to the moist potting soil in the box.  I returned the parent tubers to the box too. They will regrow more plants. Then I will repeat the process, when they have at least 2 inches in height and some really nice looking leaves started.

I ordered Hardy Kiwi, Luffa, Celery, Carrots

NAME: Kiwi Fruit seed

OTHER COMMON NAMES: Kiwifruit / Hardy Kiwi / Tara Vine / Yang Tao / Chinese Gooseberry / Chinese Strawberry

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Kiwi Actinidia

COLOR: White flowers & bright green flesh covered with a brown fuzzy skin

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

BLOOM TIME: Spring - Summer

HARDINESS ZONE: 4 - 9

PLANT HEIGHT: 8 - 12 Foot Vine / Climber

PLANT SPACING: 10 - 12 Feet

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 100 Seeds

OTHER: The Kiwi Vine is fragrant and attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. It is said you can get up to 50 pounds of fruit per vine, so you will be able to share!

 NAME: Luffa (Sponge) Gourd

OTHER COMMON NAMES: Vegetable Sponge / Smooth Luffa / Sponge Luffa / Climbing Okra / Dishrag Gourd

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Luffa Cylindrica

COLOR: Green

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 60 Days

HARDINESS ZONE: N/A

PLANT HEIGHT: 48 - 72"

PLANT SPACING: 5 - 6'

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 25 Seeds

OTHER: The Luffa Gourd is an open pollinated variety. You just allow the gourd to dry & peel off the skin to reveal the sponge. How cool is that?

 NAME: Tall Utah Celery

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Apium Graveolens var. Dulce

COLOR: Green

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 120 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 18"

PLANT SPACING: 9 - 12"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 1000 Seeds

OTHER: This is the same string-free variety of celery that is found in food markets. It produces thick stalks with a rich nutty flavor.  Open-Pollinated

Long, crisp stalks with unbeatable flavor. Once you’ve tasted organic celery grown at home, you will never go back to store-bought. Tall Utah produces large plants with compact hearts. Long, crisp, medium-dark green stalks. Best for late summer crops. 12” stalks • 30” tall. (Apium graveolens)

Days to maturity: 100 days

NAME: Riverside Sweet Yellow Spanish Onion

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Allium Cepa

COLOR: Yellow

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 115 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 18"

PLANT SPACING: 12 - 18"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun - Part Shade

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 500 Seeds

OTHER: Just like the name says, these extra large globe shaped onions are sweet & mild

NAME: Atomic Red Carrot

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Daucus Carota

COLOR: Red

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 70 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 18"

PLANT SPACING: 3 - 6"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 400 Seeds

OTHER: These fun brightly colored carrots measure 6-7” long and are crunchy, juicy, & sweet. Kids love them, and you can add a lot of great color to your garden dishes.

NAME: Cosmic Purple Carrot

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Daucus Carota

COLOR: Purple Skin / Orange Flesh

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 65 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 6 - 12"

PLANT SPACING: 3 - 6"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 400 Seeds

OTHER: These fun brightly colored carrots measure 6-7” long and are spicy & sweet. Kids love them, and you can add a lot of great color to your garden dishes.

NAME: Solar Yellow Carrot

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Daucus Carota

COLOR: Yellow

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 60 - 75 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 18"

PLANT SPACING: 3 - 6"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 300 Seeds

OTHER: These heirloom carrots measure 6-7” long and are mild. Kids love them, and you can add a lot of great color to your garden dishes.

 NAME: Lunar White Carrot

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Daucus Carota

COLOR: White

PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost

HARVEST: 60 - 75 Days

PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 18"

PLANT SPACING: 3 - 6"

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun

SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average

QUANTITY: 300 Seeds

OTHER: These heirloom carrots measure 6-7” long and are mild. Kids love them, and you can add a lot of great color to your garden dishes

Ordered Feb 12, 2015 
Already recieved 
 White Sage seeds, salvia apiana

Oct 2014 Potato seed and tomato order received
 1 x Diamond Toro
1 x Blue Doll
1 x Anna's Gold
1 x Physalis peruviana
1 x Muru
1 x Skagit Valley Gold
1 x Shadow Boxing (dwarf)
=====================
Tomato seed order recieved Dec 2014
 1    | AMETHJEWEL  | AMETHYST JEWEL         
                                                                                       
1    | BCC | BARRY'S CRAZY CHERRY - "NEW RELEASE" 
                                                                                       
1    | GP | NAPA GIANT - "NEW RELEASE"       
                                                                                       
1    | ICICLE| CANDY SWEET ICICLE - "NEW RELEASE" 

Self watering container

I bough 1 10 foot length of 1/2 inch pvc water pipe 2 elbows and 2 caps .
This was enough to work with 1 50 gallon drum cut in half. To make 2 containers.

The lengths were cut to allow for the cap & elbow to be added. I got hubby to drill holes through about ever 1/2 inch. This way water would flow out both sides evenly. It was placed in the drum with the holes to the sided.

Sand was then placed around the perimeter.Allowing the dirt to make contact in the middle.
1 gallon of composted manure was placed in first then topper with potting organic potting soil. I also place a empty juice container in the side to make it easer to see if there is water in there. I also can add water to the juice container. I planter 1 tomato in the center and 5 asparagus plants around the perimeter, They are in red circles on photo. Yellow is the top of container. Next year I will add more soil for the asparagus to grow taller.
I drilled drain holes around the side above the soil line to let excess water out.

Click here to see more on of how this works

Here is an updated photo. The potatoes are way bigger in the red tub. I wonder if it is the red color. As they are saying now to use red plastic under the tomato plants for better health. As you see the top right are 2 other potatoes plants in the top soil bags. I started them all at the same time, and transplanted one to the red container. Where it took off in growth. Soon I will add more soil to all of them.

The Lunar planting calendar for this month is located at the bottom of the page.

Lunar garden update1

Today is another wet rainy day. Garden prep is behind. I can not do much by my self any more. So far I have 10 tomato plants transplanted in the garden under soda bottles. They are doing great. 2 out of 3 red potatoes planted in the top soil bags are doing great. 1 seems to be frost bit. I should have put them under bottles too. Mistake #1.

^Before fence^

Yesterday I managed to put up 3 cattle panels used to both fence in and support plants. I will have tomatoes on2 sides and melons and cukes on another side.

After fence photo

The seed inside is doing great. This is the first time I have succeeded at growing tomatoes from seed.


The plants in the center are cabbage fdr they are leggy and I have no clue if they will successfully make a good plant. The Lunar planting calendar for this month is located at the bottom of the page.