I will be giving 2 mini-workshops about seed saving, Vermont heirlooms and plant breeding this coming Saturday, September 11, 2010 in Montpelier, Vermont. The GLF is a fund-raiser for an excellent gardening-in-the-schools program in central Vermont.
One of the workshops will be a very basic how-to demo with a discussion of what “heirloom” varieties are. In the second, I’ll talk about my Shetland potato project and growing new potato varieties from true potato seed using Tom Wagner’s great techniques; and about “naturalizing” food plants in the garden (ie, getting plants you want to sow themselves). I’ll also be hanging out at my table to chat throughout the afternoon, so if you’re in the area, I hope to see you there!
More info about the Growing Localfest
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September 8th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Tell me more about the Shetland Potato Project, please!
Be sure to let folks know at your workshop that I am happy to get inquiries about my own potato project. Thank you for mentioning my “growing new potato varieties from true potato seed using Tom Wagner’s great techniques.”
Thanks, too,for listing me in the “Resources for seed savers”
as Tatermater board.
Tom Wagner
September 8th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Hi Tom!
I’m honored to have you stop by! My Shetland potato project is pretty simple – I was lucky enough to get a seed ball from Blue Shetland potatoes I was growing many years ago, so I sowed the seed and out of it kept these two. I was inspired by your TPS (true potato seed) project and the videos of the workshops you gave in Europe to have another go at it, because you have streamlined the process so well. This year I sowed seed from one of the Blue Shetland offspring (my Hurley’s Rose Gold). I’ve rogued the seedlings down to 8 very robust plants that are still roaring along and I will post the results here when I dig them up. From the looks of the plants so far I’m expecting a lot of different colors.
If I hadn’t had my own TPS from this intriguing Shetland line, I definitely would have gotten some of yours to try. One of my goals in giving the upcoming workshops is to show gardeners how easy it is to do backyard plant breeding, even with limited gardening resources – and what fascinating results you can get. Rest assured I will continue to steer folks your way.
For those who don’t know, Tom Wagner is a potato/tomato god, whose creations grace the pages of many, many seed catalogues. If you’re interested in growing potatoes from true seed, he has TPS from his many breeding lines available to the public. I can’t emphasize enough what a great resource this is! Get yourselves over to the Tatermater board!