Potato plants growing tomatoes ??!

MuddyHell · Post by **MuddyHell** » 28 Jul 2012, 18:59

This year I decided to grow some purple potatoes (seed potatoes from Thomsons I think).
The plants flowered a couple of weeks ago, and I have just returned from a week's holiday to gind they have now grown a whole crop of what look like grren tomatoes !!!
I've cut one in half, and it's like a cherry tomato complete with seeds.
Has anyone else seen this happen to spuds ?
Will they be edible ?
How very odd

Post by **Annie** » 28 Jul 2012, 19:08

Its the fruit from the flower head ( like you get apple blossom and that dies off and leaves the tiny apple forming) but I believe its poisonous so get rid , especially if you have young ones around. )t'

Its not a seed potato by the way, in case you were wondering.

Homemade · Post by **Homemade** » 28 Jul 2012, 20:34

Annie is right, it is a potato fruit and it is poisonous - DO NOT EAT.
Most of the potato family has poisonous fruit - think deadly nightshade. It is the tomato and the peppers that are the odd ones out in being safe to eat.

MuddyHell · Post by **MuddyHell** » 28 Jul 2012, 21:18

Thanks Annie & HM!
I'll ditch the berries - what a shame they are bigger & better than my actual tomatoes !!!
:-D

lancashire lass · Post by **lancashire lass** » 29 Jul 2012, 05:00

Annie wrote:Its not a seed potato by the way, in case you were wondering.

Strictly speaking the fruit produce seeds which when sowed should produce potato plants - this is the way new potato varieties are generated by potato specialists by cross pollination. However, growing potatoes from actual potatoes is by far the easiest for home gardeners )t'

Post by Mo » 29 Jul 2012, 07:27

Not all varieties flower and produce seeds. Because of cross-breeding some are sterile.
They do look like a tomato, don't they.