IRISH LUMPER POTATO

[ricko]

The botanical name is Solanum tuberosum, from the potato family of Solanacae. The Irish have a love/hate relationship with this one because on one hand, it fed them really well for generations. On the other hand, it also nearly starved them into extinction. This is the infamous potato that failed in the 1840s and caused the Great Potato Famine and forced millions of irish to emigrate to America, including my ancestors in 1850.

Not only do I seek to grow potatoes in my backyard this summer (I already have started a 7 gallon container of russets, growing beautifully in this cold, rainy, Oakland, CA winter!) but I also seek to share with my young sons the history of their ancestral motherland while we pay tribute to the suffering and bravery of our ancestors and attempt to triumph over nature by growing the very food which caused so many Irish to perish from starvation. I look forward to giving this a try and I will not just grow and eat them, but will try to seed them and propagate them indefinitely.

Sooooo - aside from Tom, are there gardeners or farmers out there with experience growing this variety?

Summer 2010 is going to be a fun adventure. Erin go bragh!

Cheers - Rick O (Oakland, CA)

[spacecase0]

I have an Irish lumper now,
and will be growing it this year,
so nothing yet, but I will know more about them soon.
I am also excited about it, seemingly for the same reasons as you
only it is my sister's kids...

I live just north of you almost to richmond,
so if you want any seeds or plants that I have, just ask me,
I am not use to having other gardeners so close by

[canadamike]

I have grown it and have constant access to it through the canadian potato research center, which is holding it and making it available in its heirloom collection.

It seems pretty important to say here that Tom has crossed it to disease resistant cultivars, reselected it and last fall symbolicly planted some seeds of it in a cemetary in Ireland, where 6000 people were buried. Lumpers has a grand daughter that looks exactly like her and is immune to blight.

In a humble cemetary, the Irish curse has met its match. The malediction is over.

I grew ( from Tom's seeds) the sister of the new Lumper that was seeded symbolicly in Ireland, it was totally resistant to the new late blight mutation that killed hundreds of other clones and cultivars in my research plot, about 2.5 acres, and also devastated eastern North America tomato and potato crop.


I accompanied Tom for the breeding conferences in France, Switzerland and Belgium, last fall, and when I came back my garden had been raided.

But the big man had the genes in his bank...

Try to get the daughters of Lumpers. If not, send me a PM, I could order it for you. It is a good one in the mouth, I can tell you that much. But the grand daughter is even better, and looks like gramma...

[Cindy]

I realize this is an old post but would really like to get some of these seeds. Would like to grow some and when the Famine Memorial in Montreal present some to them.
Thanks so much!
Cindy Moynan
Knowlton, Que

[gardensup]

I do not know anyone in Canada who currently is growing Lumpers although there are likely a few. As Mike mentioned in the previous posting, it is available from the Canadian Potato Research Centre. Attached is a link if you choose to contact them:

pgrc3.agr.gc.ca/order-ordre_e.html

Be aware that they only provide 3 small tubers or 3 in vitro plantlets of the varieties that you select.

[Glenn Laplant]

I am interested in growing some of these historic Lumpers. I have not been able to find any seed Lumpers. If anyone knows of a source I would appreciate your help.
Thank you.
Glenn

[Glenn Laplant]

I am interested in growing some of these historic Lumpers. I have not been able to find any seed Lumpers. If anyone knows of a source I would appreciate your help.
Thank you.
Glenn

[Tom Wagner]

I am growing a couple of Lumpers this spring 2020