Potato growing question

[Ifonlyhewould]

I am so wanting to grow potatoes but (prepare yourself for what may be a stupid question ) do I need 'special' seeds/potatoes or can i just plant a potato that is growing roots in my cupboard?

If I do need to buy 'special' whatevers, where would I buy them? Ive had a look at the garden centre but not seen anything and not had the courage to ask

TIA

You need seed potatoes. The garden centre will sell them.

But ... you're a bit late for buying them, which is probably why you can't find any. You generally buy seed potatoes in January or February to chit (sprout), and then earlies go in the ground in March, main crop in April.

Check out the online seed catalogues, like Dobies, Suttons or Thompson and Morgan. They may still have seed potatoes.

Oh I seeeeee

Thank you. So am i too late to grow any potaoes at all this year then?

I will take a look at the online catalogues. Thanks

I asked my dad - he's much more into his veg growing than I am and knows his stuff.

He says that some people like to plant in August, for new potatoes in the winter, or for Christmas. They produce a crop in October, which you can either take up and eat then or leave in the ground, well protected, until Christmas. Put carpet or a thick layer of straw down around the plants if you're going to do that otherwise the frosts will damage them.

Blight is a problem for later planting, so if you can find a supplier, take their advice on blight-resistant varieties. You'll also want fast-growing varieties so that the cold weather doesn't stop them from growing. Again, if you can find a supplier it might be a good idea to ask about that too.

Thats brilliant Wigwambam! Thank you for that and thank you to your dad too. I'm definately going to give it a go!

Maincrop can still go in during May AFAIK. Mine aren't in yet - help...But the weather's so mad, I don't care, I'll chance it.

Ours aren't in yet. We were late ordering as we didn't think we'd get the beds prepared to grow lettuce let alone spuds! Ours are chitting in the shed, though seem very slow.
However, we've got onions, shallots, spring onions, garlic, cabbage, lettuce, broad and french beans in the beds!!
Much of this is due to the kindness of our fellow allotmenteers. If they say, can you use some.... I always say yes, and it's turning out very well.
Can I recommend 'Grow your own veg' by Carole Klein, it's so simple and easy to understand.
Here it is

if you get them going in pots in the greenhouse or conservatory i reckon you can get them going all year.... maybe.... i have 1 big potatao planter thing from here which was planted in the bottom and has been potted up as the greens grew and is now full and growing abundently out the top (and hopefully full of spuds!!)... and (so far) 2 potato sack things, again planted low and potted up.... am staging planting to prolong yield time.

is the first time ive ever dont this tho, so am prepared to be humbled by failure, lol.

the reason you need seed, rather than any old potatoes is, apparently, that seed spuds are more 'perfect', disease free, and that any old spuds may carry something which then 'infects' your soil (assuming youre growing in the ground) and will affect any future potatoes you try to grow for heavens knows how long.

I've put some 'any old spuds' in bags, though, on the grounds that the soil is separate from the garden and I'll chuck it away once new spuds are harvested.

NappiesGalore - I have one of those potato barrels as well. If it works I am going to get a second for next year. Very excited about it