Is it possible to buy Kumara seed?

garypaulstut

19 years ago

Or does one only find tubers for sale.

If available as seed, where can one buy it in NZ?

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Comments (7)

Kiwi_oz
19 years ago
No seeds.
The tuber is put into a deep container and covered with sand/sawdust.
When the eyes sprout the runners grow 6-8inches long looking for the light they are cut from the mother tuber hardened up and planted.
Heather
cassiebg
19 years ago
I do something similar. Plant them under about 5cm soil under a plastic cloche (cold climate here at times) and once the runners have formed, break them off and set them out. Keep the water up to them. Will try growing some of them under plastic this year as they didn't grow very big last year.
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garypaulstut
Original Author
19 years ago
Oh well . . .

I love Kumara. Would have been nice to try to grow it in the USA. Unfortunately, unless you have seeds, the Agriculture people would never let me bring it into the USA, because live foodcrops are forbidden, unless very restrictive special permits and dispensations are granted (not usually given to non-university or agriculture industry people).

Thanks to both of you for the info.
texkiwi
19 years ago
I have kumara in my garden but are limited as to which states I can send it to, CA is one the no-no list.
At this time, they are still in the ground as we never got around to digging many up so hopefully in a few weeks time they will start sprouting again.

Kate
plantsplus
19 years ago
If you can buy a kumara in a food store just leave it lying around your kitchen in a light position until it sprouts shoots. When they are about 4inches (8cm) long break them off the vegetable and place in a pot with potting soil just like any other cutting and they will grow. Transplant into a warm sunny spot when roots are well formed and your on your way. I would love to get my hands on the Black ornamental one Ipomea batatas "Blackie" which I see in so many American gardening magazines.
texkiwi
19 years ago
Unfortunately you just cannot walk into a supermarket here in the US and buy kumara!
Liz_w
18 years ago
I have read that the pre-european kumara varieties were only the size of your finger & that they were bred with imported american varieties to make them bigger.

I found these on the net. They don;t mention not shipping to CA

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/Plants%20&%20Roots.htm#SWEET%20POTATOES

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Is it possible to buy Kumara seed?

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Kiwi_oz

cassiebg

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garypaulstut
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texkiwi

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Is it possible to buy Kumara seed?

Comments (7)

Kiwi_oz

cassiebg

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garypaulstutOriginal Author

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