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gardendmpls
Stately Oak

Far Rockaway, New York Zone 7A

Posts: 3,502

Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 14:44:48 GMT -5 Mumsey and lilolpeapicker like this

Post by gardendmpls on Dec 30, 2020 14:44:48 GMT -5

desertwoman weedkicker

Saw this article and thought, maybe for your climate. It seems like this potato species, Solanum jamesii, was growing in Escalante Valley,Utah 11,000 years ago. It is well adapted to dry areas and has more protein, calcium and minerals than modern potatoes, Solanum tuberosum. Children were sent to dig it up in the wild during the Great Depression and today it is called the Four Corners potato.

www.hcn.org/issues/49.20/scientific-research-escalante-valley-how-an-ancient-potato-helped-indigenous-people-survive-climate-shifts

Abigail, all 9 kids grown and 24 little gardeners.

Zone 7a, Far Rockaway, New York

SpringRain🕊️ Stately Oak Posts: 3,872	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 15:43:44 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Dec 30, 2020 15:43:44 GMT -5 gardendmpls, we could learn so much from Native peoples. I wonder now if that was one of the potatoes my father planted or dug up during the Depression.
	SE Michigan, Zone 6, gradually becoming Zone 5

desertwoman Stately Oak Posts: 16,503 Member is Online	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 15:48:54 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by desertwoman on Dec 30, 2020 15:48:54 GMT -5 Thank you! gardendmpls, I will strongly consider growing these.
	Northern New Mexico 7000' desert plateau Zone 7a (formerly Zone 5, then 6a, 6b) Posting since 2005

tom 🕊 Stately Oak Jones County, NC. Zone 8 28526 ... Posts: 4,588	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 16:02:48 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by tom 🕊 on Dec 30, 2020 16:02:48 GMT -5 Dec 30, 2020 15:48:54 GMT -5 desertwoman said: I will strongly consider growing these Beware. It's weedy and has many limitations. www.cultivariable.com/instructions/potatoes/how-to-grow-wild-potatoes/solanum-jamesii/
	All our problems would be solved if only we would change our ways.

desertwoman Stately Oak Posts: 16,503 Member is Online	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 17:51:44 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by desertwoman on Dec 30, 2020 17:51:44 GMT -5 Dec 30, 2020 16:02:48 GMT -5 tom 🕊 said: Beware. It's weedy and has many limitations. I have one bed that has been fallow for a couple of years, off on its own. This would be the perfect spot to experiment with these!
	Northern New Mexico 7000' desert plateau Zone 7a (formerly Zone 5, then 6a, 6b) Posting since 2005

tom 🕊 Stately Oak Jones County, NC. Zone 8 28526 ... Posts: 4,588	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 18:16:35 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by tom 🕊 on Dec 30, 2020 18:16:35 GMT -5 Dec 30, 2020 17:51:44 GMT -5 desertwoman said: This would be the perfect spot to experiment with these! I'll be hoping for a report.
	All our problems would be solved if only we would change our ways.

desertwoman
Stately Oak

Posts: 16,503
Member is Online

Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 18:53:05 GMT -5

Post by desertwoman on Dec 30, 2020 18:53:05 GMT -5

tom 🕊,It will all depend on what our water situation is like next season. We've been in extreme drought conditions the past 2 years which is why this bed has been fallow.
But if precip improves and I expand my gardens again this coming year you will be the first to receive a report!

Northern New Mexico 7000' desert plateau
Zone 7a (formerly Zone 5, then 6a, 6b)
Posting since 2005

gardendmpls
Stately Oak

Far Rockaway, New York Zone 7A

Posts: 3,502

Ancient Native grown Potato Species Dec 30, 2020 19:45:29 GMT -5 SpringRain🕊️ likes this

Post by gardendmpls on Dec 30, 2020 19:45:29 GMT -5

Dec 30, 2020 18:53:05 GMT -5 desertwoman said:

It will all depend on what our water situation is like next season.

One of the features of this potato is it does well during droughts. They did mention there was a certain bitterness that the native peoples removed by a process mentioned in the article. They also said it was quite tasty, but used the word earthy, which I am wary of. It might be possible for growers to breed this out (maybe some have already), but I wonder if it is related to the drought resistance.

Abigail, all 9 kids grown and 24 little gardeners.

Zone 7a, Far Rockaway, New York

Latitude33 Stately Oak Posts: 3,333	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Jan 1, 2021 16:57:11 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Latitude33 on Jan 1, 2021 16:57:11 GMT -5 Thank you for posting this. Very interested in native/heirloom species.
	If you aren't barefoot, then you're overdressed.

lilolpeapicker Stately Oak Posts: 7,538	Ancient Native grown Potato Species Jan 12, 2021 9:55:01 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by lilolpeapicker on Jan 12, 2021 9:55:01 GMT -5 Interesting. Love to hear about the past and maybe how it can influnce us today and the future.
	Have a great gardening day! hoe, hoe, hoe Pea Upstate NY, zone 5