Problem with Solanum tuberosum "Grimpantii"

[Hans J]

Hello ,

Is here anybody who knows Solanum tuberosum ‚Grimpante’ and has expierience with cultivation
I mean this this plant:
https://www.nijssentuin.nl/nl/collectie-van-daan-smit/51150-12855-solanum-tuberosum-grimpanti-51150.html#
A friend of mine has bought from P. Nijssen last year some “tubers” ..they grows well for him
In spring he sent me some tubers and he told me they are easy …I should place it on a dark place and in March/April they will grow ( like normal potatoes )
Now I wait since weeks …but nothing happens
I have stored in our basement – than in my greenhouse – and now here in my room
First I let it dry – than I put it on a layer of Vermiculit – than I have it spray with a little of water …nothing happens
My last idea was to plant it in pure perlite ( 3 bulbs ) and the other 3 in my normal sowing soil ….covered with a plastic bag ( for higher humidity )
Today wrote me my friend and he told me that he had ( like me ) no success …no shoots came up
So we suppose now that P.Nijssen make a special treatment with this bulbs …has anybody a idea what this could be ?

For me it is strange that such a nice plant not more offered ....so there must be a "trick"

Any advices are welcome

Thank you in advance
Hans

[Vinny 123]

Solanum tuberosum is/are potatoes. The flowers in the photo' on the link look like any potato flower to me (they come in many white/bluish colours from white through to reasonably dark purple).

I would stick to the normal amateur routine for growing potatoes - cool but frost-free until mid-March and then chit them in trays in good light and temperatures of something like 15C - not too warm (which will mean dry air) or they will shrivel.

[Hans J]

Hi Vinny ,

many thanks for your answer
The tubers of this Solanum looks really different to "normal " potatoes
Sorry but I have no picture !
The tubers are small ( 7 -10 mm ) dark ,with with white dots
OK ...I have moved the pots today in my green house ...you are right ..here inside our home is it too warm

Kind regards
Hans

[Hans J]

Yesterday I got a message from a friend from Netherland - he wrote me :

"Sorry but I do not have any experience with Solanum tuberosum. I just read it's an annual......  not sure whether that is correct, but if it is, it explains your problem"

So this means for me that this Nursery grows this plants every year new from seed ....

[Vinny 123]

An annual Solanum?

Yours produces tubers?

Solanum tuberosum?

Mutually incompatible. It makes no sense.

I grow the unrelated Gloxinia/Sininngia tubiflora and that produces masses of tubers with no obvious growing point - you have to be aware of orientation when removing them from a pot if you remove the tubers.

The white dots worry me, slightly....................................

[Hans J]

Sorry ...but I'm not a botanist
Like you I'm also not sure that it is a real S.tuberosum  ....maybe another species ?

My hope was that here are people who knows this plant ...

[Vinny 123]

The leaves on the link look perfectly good for potato. Both the tubers and leaves have very characteristic smells if rubbed.

It would make no sense for any plant to produce tubers that did nothing, did not produce a new plant - it would be an evolutionary dead-end, albeit that the plant should also produce seed.

So far as S. t. seed goes - it is illegal to sell the seed in the UK in most circumstances, which is linked to the UK being a major world supplier of seed potatoes and also producer of new cultivars.

Another possibility - what temperature were the tubers stored at over-winter? Maybe they need a cool rest? 6-8 weeks in the salad drawer of the fridge if they were warm?