Growing Spuds

pm.

hi, any of you grow spuds ? i started to grow them 3 years ago, but this year some of the stalks have green buds on them they look kinda like green grapes.
someone told me that you can grow a new breed of potato from them any truth in that?

Irish Gardener

Hello, pm.
Are these "green grapes" attached to the stalks above or below ground

pm.

Irish Gardener wrote:

Hello, pm.
Are these "green grapes" attached to the stalks above or below ground

hi irish gardner, they are above the ground.

Irish Gardener

It sounds then like you have potato flower heads which have turned to seed heads.
Potatoes are usually grown from small potatoes or seed tubers, much the same as the flower the dahlia is.
Both can also be sown from seed similar to what you will find inside the "grapes".
However they may have become cross pollinated with a slightly different variety.
So, say for instance you grew "rooster potatoes, the seeds formed and you sowed the seeds. You cannot be certain what grows will be a true "Rooster", as the original "rooster" flower may have been pollinated with a "Kerrs pink" or a "Record"
That is why farmers sow small seed potatoes, as the tubers multiply and give you a true crop.

Sorry for being long-winded, so to answer your question. Yes the new seeds could possibly throw up a new form of potato.
Although sowing potatoes from collected seed takes a good few years to get an edible crop.
Hope this helps.