Seeds for potatoes and onions!

Annie Kate
Annie Kate Posts: 680 ✭✭✭✭

I just placed my seed order and it includes seeds for onions and even seeds for potatoes! The onion sets and seed potatoes may sell out again in our area, so I'm trying this but never have before. Does anyone have experience with them?

Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @Annie Kate We don't have a long enough growing season for me to think about growing either from seed. Even when they are started inside, they still take a long time to mature.

    Following is a link to an article from West Coast Seeds on growing potatoes from seeds. https://www.westcoastseeds.com/blogs/how-to-grow/how-to-grow-potatoes-from-seed

    And one for growing onions. https://www.westcoastseeds.com/blogs/how-to-grow/grow-onion-seeds

    They have quite a few growing guides on their website.

  • dipat2005
    dipat2005 Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Annie Kate I have had success growing onions (the green top ones) from seed. I tried to grow potatoes but not from seed and not much luck for me.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Annie Kate I have grown onions from seeds for many years. You get a larger selection choice and like you said, if there is a shortage of onion sets you have protected yourself.

    They grow well and easy - but they are slow starters! They come up ok but really seem to stay small as a seeding.

    I am a zone 5B and I start my onion and leeks in January, usually the end. I have started a few in February but they take a long season so you need to figure in their days to harvest.

    I have seen potato seeds but have never tried growing them. Should be a fun adventure

    https://www.cultivariable.com/instructions/potatoes/how-to-grow-true-potato-seeds-tps/

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    Never tried Planting onion seeds. I buy organic and have cut the roots 1/2” with roots connected to onion then place into a shallow bowl of water, and when an onion shoot appears then it can be planted outdoors after the last frost. At the farm where there are Klondike White/Gold (potatoes) sold as seeds; an organic farm, they produced many delicious potatoes.

  • annbeck62
    annbeck62 Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭

    I haven't grown potatoes from seed but I've had some store bought organic potatoes that sprouted so I planted them. The potatoes were really good.

  • lewis.mary.e
    lewis.mary.e Posts: 225 ✭✭✭

    We'll be growing potatoes, but not from seed. We didn't have room at our old house, so we're really looking forward to them.

  • Annie Kate
    Annie Kate Posts: 680 ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks for the links @torey !

    I am in zone 4, @Denise Grant , so I need to start thinking about getting the seeds going asap. But they aren't here yet and we are starting a 28 day stay-at-home lockdown on Thursday so I'm sure I can't buy soil--better do that tomorrow, then, so I'll have it when the seeds come.

    @annbeck62 , yes, we grew sprouted store potatoes too, and that can be yummy. I only bought 20 potato seeds, so I'll likely be using this method again if I can't get proper seed potatoes. If store potatoes have not sprouted on their own, then planting them usually won't work, though (don't ask how I know! LOL). It's a good reason to buy a lot of potatoes in the spring, in the hopes that some sprout, and if they don't it's a good excuse to eat lots of oven fries.

    You're in for a treat, @lewis.mary.e ! Homegrown potatoes are so yummy!

  • lewis.mary.e
    lewis.mary.e Posts: 225 ✭✭✭

    We grew a small patch of potatoes a few years back, and discovered the plants are gorgeous, lush, and HUGE.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Good idea on buying soil @Annie Kate . This will also give you something differnt to do while at home 24/7