enquiry : What is an heirloom spud ? I do n’t understand what it means , and I see some in a catalog . – Julie S
GARDENING CHANNEL REPLIES : An heirloom spud has three unlike potential meanings , which are very interchangeable in construct but take issue a small bit in the details . So it sort of depends on who you ask as far as the precise details . Thefirst meaning is a Irish potato variety which was institute 100 long time ago and has n’t been alteredgenetically since .
Thesecond definition of an heirloom Irish potato is a variety which has n’t been alter in 50 years . This is why Yukon Gold spud are technically an heirloom miscellany .
Yukon Golds are a newer variety , in comparison to many heirlooms , which became democratic in the 1980s . However , they grow in the 1960s . Though a newer choice , it do in at the fifty - year mark and is considered an heirloom kind by many .
Another definition of heirloom potato is a potato variety that was developed during or before 1951 . Hybrid plants were n’t uncouth before this time , so most potato plants were grown without changing their hereditary make - up .
However , most tater varieties we believe heirloom were developed in the 1800 ’s . This was the prison term when many potatoes were decimated due to potato blight .
Therefore , botanists go bad to South America to find white potato plants in their original growing environment . From there , new potato salmagundi were established to be durable against many pests and diseases which were harming potato crops during this time .
Many heirloom varieties made their agency to the United States from other countries , and some were created in university laboratory .
The varieties we recognize as heirloom today are the genetic understructure for the New miscellany we currently grow .
Heirloom potato are thought to be white potato which have never been genetically altered . Yet , this is n’t always the case .
However , they have n’t been changed genetically for many days . Though heirloom potato are n’t considered as unfearing as some of the newer varieties today , they are a piece of gardening history and are thought to have better sapidity than some of the newer varieties of spud .
Plus , you could economize some of your Solanum tuberosum from your heirloom harvesting as seed Irish potato , and they should produce the exact same miscellany in future yr . This does n’t always happen with newer , genetically change Solanum tuberosum .
Whether you ’d like to grow heirloom potato for their taste , to save money on your potato craw in future years , or you have an hold for history , you should give it a try .
These are some of the advantages to get your own vegetable . you’re able to bring forth as wide of a variety as your imaging , gardening method , and planting zone will allow .
Learn More About Growing Potatoes
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/potatoes-in-the-home-garden-7-617/
https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/potatoes-home-garden/
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
