Mashua Products and Sizes

Tubers

Mashua tubers are field grown.  They are typically in their second or third generation out of disease free tissue culture.  In the first generation, they are multiplied in pots.  In the next two generations, they are grown in the field.  As a product grown outdoors in soil, there is potential for the tubers to carry diseases or pests, although I work to limit this.

Tubers may range in size from about half an inch to six inches long.  They may be sprouted when you receive them, particularly as we get into spring.  This won’t hurt anything.  Just bury the tubers and the sprouts, placing the tubers at about a 2-3 inch depth.  You can bury the sprouts completely or leave them sticking out if they are long enough.  It won’t make any difference in the long run.

Seeds

Mashua seeds were collected from the parent variety.  The majority will be self-pollinated with most varieties but a few might be crossed.  Mashua seeds never grow true.  Each seedling is unique but varieties that self pollinate typically bear a lot of similarity to the parent.  With most varieties, there is a picture in the product gallery that shows an example of tubers grown from the seeds.  Mashua seeds have a low germination rate and may take more than a year to do so.  Seeds are only occasionally available, as they are hard to produce in sufficient quantity for sale.

In Vitro Plantlets

In Vitro Plantlet Instructions

Plantlets are small plants from tissue culture.  They are delivered in a plastic container and rooted in agar gel.  The significant advantage of plantlets is that they are established in the lab from a disease free source and are therefore as clean a product as I can produce.  Another advantage is that I can create and deliver plantlets in about eight weeks at any time of year, whether it is the growing season or not.  Disadvantages include the expense and the fact that it takes extra work and care on your part to transplant them to pots and get them established before planting them out.  Plantlets are shipped separately from other items you order and must be shipped in a rigid package, which is part of the expense.