True potato seed (TPS) starts

orgoveg · Fri May 20, 2011 11:09 pm

The pictured seedlings have been "growing" for well over a month. These are from the berries of Maine potatoes that I grew last year. They started tiny and they are still tiny. No growth. I assume this is not normal, but maybe someone will tell me that it is. I don't want to put them in the ground until they show some maturity but maybe that's what they need.

The taller seedling pictured is just a pepper plant damaged by cats.

[img]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/abaction/tps1.jpg[/img]

TZ -OH6 · Fri May 20, 2011 11:52 pm

For me they stay tiny for quite a while, then when they get some leaves things go a little faster, and then they seem to shoot up after potting up and start to look like potato leaf tomato seedlings. My largest ones have leaves larger than a quarter and are 4-5 inches high with another 2-3 inches of buried stem. They were planted on April 7 and sprouted in about 5 days, so they are about 5 weeks old. When they were 2-3 inches high I potted up to deep plastic and styro drink cups.

How much light are you giving them?

orgoveg · Sat May 21, 2011 12:59 am

I have them under a two-bulb flourescent light fixture. I can't tell you the wattage or lumens, but I sucessfully grew tomatoes and eggplant under the same light. (That is, until the cats destroyed the eggplants). They have also been outside on sunny days and permanently lately. I don't think light is the problem, but it could be. They have lost some color due to outside temperatures dipping into the low 40's overnight. They're back inside now.

If you have leaves the size of a quarter after 5 weeks, then this is probably not normal. I'll try propping them up closer to the light bulbs and maybe potting up.

Thanks for the feedback.

TZ -OH6 · Sat May 21, 2011 9:29 am

I don't think its your light. With low light they get long and spindly, which is good because you want to pot them up deep.

applestar · Sat May 21, 2011 9:49 am

I'm a bit concerned that the soil looks mulch-like and kind of dry. the seedlings look a bit yellowish in color? Not a fan of peat pots either.

Oh, my color perception of the seedlings may be off because my TPS were from blue potatoes and these babies have bluish/ purplish foliage to them. I'll post pictures of my guys soon. My first time doing this too.

One of them for some reason absolutely outgrew the others and this one is looking like a very sturdy tomato transplant would look about now, in a 4 or 5 inch pot. (And before anyone asks, no it is NOT a tomato!

) Others are starting to catch up.

When they first sprouted, they did look very small and slow going -- almost like an oregano seedling with lots of fuzz. I couldn't picture them growing enough to make eating size tubers, but this big one, I can totally see it growing like a tomato vine would by the end of the season.

jal_ut · Sat May 21, 2011 12:04 pm

I am pointing at the soil. Also I do not like peat pots. They dry out too fast. These would actually do better out in the ground. Put a cut off milk jug over them after planting.

Edit to add: Oh, peel that peat pot off too before you put them in the ground. The roots are supposed to go through them, but don't do it very well.

soil · Sat May 21, 2011 1:53 pm

when I grew some potato seeds I put them in 5 gallon pots. they were growing in some loose compost.

orgoveg · Sat May 21, 2011 7:45 pm

I'm thinking you guys are probably right about the soil. It's a mix of forest floor topsoil and sand. Those are paper towel tubes and I unwrap them before transplanting. I really should get real potting soil next time. I just never got around to it.

I guess I'll just put them in the ground and see what happens.

Thanks.