When to pick off potato fruits.

[SlugLobber]

I've got quite a few fruits on my potato plants, which I'd like to use to grow potatoes from seed. They're very green at the mo, the size of cherry toms.

When should I pick them off? And what do I do with them once picked? By the latter I mean storage, when to plant...etc.

Ta muchly in advance!

Di

[Capsid]

Why not just keep a few of the tubers back and plant them instead? It's not recommended as it may promote disease.

[Flummery]

I beleive it's the other way round. Diseases like blight CAN be passed through the tuber but not through the seeds. I'm hoping to try the same myself. I'm not sure when they are ripe. I'd leave them as long as possible then maybe a brisk whizz in a food-processor wirth some water (VERY short whizz!) should break the seeds out. Dry them on a plate on a wildowsill. Sow in spring. That's what I red on t'interweb and I'm going to do. Has anyone here done it before?

[Shortie]

Oh darned... I didn't realise you could plant these and pulled a load off the other day

But I didn't get to the huge patch on the 1st lottie so will have check them out next week when we have our 'Potato Fertle Fest' (13 weeks since they were planted, can you tell I'm excited!!)

[Flummery]

Mine have all dropped off! My spuds fruits, that is! I'm on a promise from a couple of grapes to save me one though.

[Capsid]

Sorry, I meant that keeping tubers and replanting is not recommended. Although I will do this for my expensive blight resistant spuds.

[Shortie]

Mine have all dropped off! My spuds fruits, that is! I'm on a promise from a couple of grapes to save me one though.

Seeing as I never realised I could use these I might be totally wrong here, but if they dropped off doesn't it mean they're maybe ripe?

Otherwise, if I manage to get any off mine you're welcome to some, though I can't remember what I planted (buu I can tell you colour and size etc)

[SlugLobber]

So maybe the best thing to do is gently test how strongly they're attached every so often. If they pull away easily, then they're ripe and I can dry 'em out. They look kinda cute, on the plant!

[quark1]

I have been researching these fruits and I think the cherry tom size is about as big as they get.

I opened up one of smaller ones a couple of days ago and it was crammed full of small seed about the size of large strawberry seed.

I'm going to lift the first lot of spuds very soon so will be drying them before harvest.

Think if we share the seed fruits - it will be safer to transport them green and padded rather than wait for ripening at 'parent' home.

I have already promised Flum a fruit and reckon I can repeat up to 10 times - so get your requests in now if interested and I'll reserve. We'll do the SAE thing later.

Variety - Salad Blue - and believe me they're VERY blue!

[zazen999]

I'm going to save mine from the main crop for you Flum!

I've not forgotten. Unless it was earlies you were after...in which case I have a few that I didn't nip out and can save. I'll save as many as I can and get them sent to you later in the year.

[Shortie]

So let me get this right... I pick the fruit, open and plant as a normal potato? I guess the don't sprout as they'll be tiny... normally you wait 13 weeks from planting to lifting - what about these tiny dudes?

Ooooo I'm all excited now?

Also, if your pots get scab etc, should you discard the seed or will the seed be okay?

[Flummery]

Seeing as I never realised I could use these I might be totally wrong here, but if they dropped off doesn't it mean they're maybe ripe?

Otherwise, if I manage to get any off mine you're welcome to some, though I can't remember what I planted (buu I can tell you colour and size etc)

Typing in a hurry there - the flowers dropped off before they even formed fruits. D'oh!

[gojiberry]

I would have assumed that potato fruits are like any other fruit and it should be left on the plant to ripen for as long as possible. The fruits dropping off would not necesserily mean they have matured enough. Still what the heck it's worth a go with nothing to loose. Good luck to all those budding horticulturists.

Ian

[phill'n'gem]

If i get any of these that actually grow larger than the flower bud before they fall off then you are more than welcome to them, Will keep you posted

[Duronal]

i did this last year, i picked the green fruit and left it to ripen on the window sill. when it was black i cut it in half and scoped the seeds onto a paper towl. when these were dry i placed them in an envelope.

i planted them in late march and i now have two healthy plants in smallish 15cm pots pots. i wasn't expecting much but i'm certainly excited by the prospect of their harvest.

Quark - i'd love some of your blue seeds i may have some super cucumber seeds later in the year if all goes to plan.