Attn: Tom Wagner re TPS

[toomanyirons]

Mr. Wagner,

I have researched your online TPS catalog, and I find an issue has arisen that perhaps you could address. At this time in my TPS experimentations I do not have an interest in growing out specific established varieties for their use, or breeding/cross breeding established varieties following a scientific process as you and many others have been doing. Rather, I seek to create my own random locally-acclimated varieties by letting nature take her course regarding natural cross pollination of plants grown from randomly selected seed. What I am seeking is genetic material as diverse as possible, variety names and provenances are of little interest to me. Your catalog offers so many wonderful varieties I honestly would not know where to start regarding acquisition for my purpose, although if I had to I would just randomly choose some of your varieties for purchase every year. Far more preferable to me would be the acquisition of a seed mix or mixes from your collection of varieties, small amounts of as many varieties as I could realistically acquire. I would then add that seed to my own harvested seed stock, and grow out a quantity of plants from a random sample of seed taken from that bulk mix. Every year my newly harvested seed or seed newly acquired from other sources by me would be added to that seed mix, and the growing/selecting process would start again next season, the only difference being that the bulk seed mix would contain even more genetic diversity. By quickly increasing the gene pool of my seed stock from outside sources this would quickly increase the diversity of what I will be growing over future seasons. It is my belief that this could result in a higher success ratio regarding the growing out of potentially saveable variants with all the attributes I seek, such as local weather/climate acclimation, local soil acclimation, season length, disease and insect resistance, edibility/flavor, tuber size, storeability, etc.

My suggestion (plea?) to you is to please consider adding TPS seed mixes to your online catalog. You could offer something like five different seed mixes, each seed mix containing seed of five different varieties, and list the varieties contained in each mix in the product descriptions. Or simply offer one seed mix that contains a random sampling, perhaps a different random sampling every year. I believe this could be a viable option in your catalog to offer to your customers. I request that you please take this idea under consideration for next season's catalog offerings. I assure you that you will have me as a customer. I know several people who would have an interest in purchasing such a product so I would send them your way as well.

Thanks for your time and any response.

Sincerely,
-Tom

[Tom Wagner]

Good Idea! My organization needs a shot in the arm.Seed mixtures could be done with rare lines too few to sell separatelyk

[toomanyirons]

Mr. Wagner,

Thank you very much for such a prompt response, I know you are a busy person and did not expect an answer so soon.  I look forward to seeing the new addition(s) to your catalog listings next year and will pass the word on.

Your website states very clearly that catalog ordering is closed for the season.  I am wondering when the shop usually opens for sales - what months do you usually take catalog orders?  If I may be so bold as to make one more suggestion, have your webmaster state such information below the "Shop is currently closed for the season." statement.  Doing so would inform potential customers and might save you some hassle having to respond to such inquiries.

BTW, I got started with this interesting field of TPS experimentation by reading of your efforts.  Over the last year I believe I have read everything you have ever posted online (that is currently accessible) regarding the subject matter.  I have gotten others interested, and now we have our own little group of TPS experimenters. 

Last winter I read up on your posted TPS starting instructions and successfully started two 72 cell flats of seedlings last April.  Due to your instructions and my seed-starting experience I had no problems.  At the appropriate time I thinned and potted up the best seedlings into small individual pots, selecting for best attributes.  My main observation is that the seedlings absolutely crave natural sunlight.  For best results I placed the flats out in the sun in a protective grow box during the short (at that time) daylight hours as much as possible, then they were placed under lights for the remainder of an 18 hour daily photoperiod.  Following this schedule reduced spindliness of seedlings, and the little leaves got a beautiful green to dark green in color which is a good sign of health I believe.  This schedule also eliminated the need for acclimation of plants prior to transplanting outdoors.

I currently have 17 varieties of potatoes growing (14 retail varieties from seed potatoes 50 hills of each, three named varieties from TPS 10 hills of each), along with approximately 90 healthy plants started from TPS randomly selected from my seed inventory that was harvested last season.  All are planted in one garden location to foster as much cross pollination as possible.  I use a four year garden rotation for everything I grow to minimize disease/pest/soil nutrient issues.  Most potato varieties have finished blooming and any/all plants that are producing berries have been flagged for berry/seed harvest.  Admittedly this amount of plants is pretty much the maximum I can realistically handle with all the other food crops and summer projects I must attend to.  In future I will be reducing the number of hills of retail varieties so I can increase the number of plants grown from TPS as well as allowing space for growouts of seed potatoes that were previously acquired from TPS plants.  My plan over time is to completely replace the retail varieties with my own varieties, time will tell how that works out.  My own varieties must meet or exceed yields and other positive attributes of the established retail varieties that I depend on for my winter food supply, a tall order perhaps but I believe it to be possible.  Upon failure my fallback plan is to drop the TPS experiments and work toward replacing retail varieties with your established varieties.  So, while I really want seed mixes from you, I still plan on acquiring and growing out one or two of your varieties every year to trial.  Just in case.  ;-) 

Have a good day,
-Tom (southwestern Minnesota, zone 4b)  

[Tom Wagner]

I am traveling in Alabama but i try to find time to read these messages. Great read! Making priorities when growing TPS tuber lines is one that I confront all the time.

[toomanyirons]

Tom Wagner - I hope I am not being a pain, but I am curious when your TPS sales period starts for the 2016 growing season?  Have you done any more thinking regarding the offering of TPS seed mixes in your catalog?

-Minnesota Tom

[Gilbert]

I'm also wondering when the store will open; I guess I will just keep an eye on it!

[terryinmichigan]

Tom or Rob will tell us when they have time. They are VERY busy people.

[Tom Wagner]

The opening of a website requires the assistance of others. As they are busy it is always a delay.

[toomanyirons]

Mr. Wagner, with respect, why don't you just take down your TPS web store? It has stated "Closed for the Season" for almost a year now. People (potential customers who want to send you their money to buy your seeds) continue to inquire about the store status and, if you respond at all, you respond in a manner as to appear to be annoyed.  If you are too busy to focus on seed sales then simply take down the website and you would put a stop to the queries and end the aggravation.

I have been excited about making a TPS purchase from you since I learned of your store last summer. No longer. I have found other reliable sources of supply for seed of some of your potato varieties, and I already have a lot of those seeds sprouting at this time. I wanted to purchase them from you.  I support your efforts in spirit and wanted to support you monetarily (I have read comments you have posted regarding your frustration at the lack of compensation for your tomato and potato breeding efforts). I was a potential customer who wanted to purchase your seeds, to compensate you for your fine work, but I no longer consider you or your store to be a viable or reliable resource for TPS.

I have removed your store link from my bookmarks.

terryinmichigan stated in a previous post, "Tom or Rob will tell us when they have time. They are VERY busy people." - Yeah, well, we are all busy people. Either they want to sell seeds or they don't. Make a decision either way, once and for all, then act on it. At this time all Mr. Wagner's catalog is selling is false hope and disappointment, to the very people who have been inspired by his work.

[billw]

Just be happy when the store is open, toomanyirons. There is no reason to get so worked up about it. Tom is obviously not making a fortune selling potato seed and we're lucky that he has been so generous with his time and knowledge. Facebook shows that he is spending time with a new grandchild and I don't think he has been checking in here much. Maybe next year.

[PeterTHooper]

Hi,

I'm one who would like to order TPS, too. Yet, even though the web site shows a wonderful display, there's no way to order!

From what I understand, there's a significant demand for TPS. Getting some professional help to bring the web site up and running, and a motivated employee to manage orders would probably pay everyone involved very well.

Just a thought.

PTH