Potatoes

[Chuck52]

It's coming up on time to get the potatoes in the ground, and I have left-over potatoes from last year I'm planning to use for part of a row. These are kennebecs, and most of them have sprouts already. Should I just break off the sprouts before planting them? Some are pretty long. I figure the short sprouts are OK, but I don't know what burying the longer sprouts might do, like promote rot and such? Most of my planting will still have to be with bought seed potatoes, but I probably have enough of these small left overs for 20-25 feet or so. If I have as many small ones this year as last I may make more of an effort to keep them as seed by putting them in an even darker space. They're in the basement, but I've got a root cellar I could have kept them in. It was just more convenient to get to them where they are, but if I plan to keep them as seed the convenience factor won't apply.

Chuck

 

[Egon]

A few potatoes will go a long way. You just need an "eye" for planting. Even "eyes" on peelings will do!

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Yea like Egon said,

That is what i do with eyes, and if i have seed potatoes i cut them into small pieces, so they will go a long way.

 

[greenmule]

I've planted my left overs a few times,couple times they didn't all grow,I left the long eye sprouts on,figured it caused less chance to rot.

We plant 50 lbs kennabeck,and 50 lbs of red pontiacs,I don't cut them up,plant them whole,cause less chance to rot and I'm only planting that much[don't even plant all of them,just fill out my rows],we are still eating on ours,but like yours they are getting so sprouty and sriveled up,not much longer.

 

[forgeblast]

I do the same, even if they have the long eyes i still throw them in the ground. I plant a small 6x8 plot of them and we have enough all winter.

 

[Chuck52]

OK. Sounds like my plan will be to just throw 'em in the ground sprouts and all. Most of these are so small they may only have an eye or two. I probably have enough for half my usual planting of kennebec, and I'll also put in a row of yellow or red potatoes, which ever I can find locally. Still got almost two weeks before I need to plant them. With luck the garden will be dry enough, though I've smeared them into the mud a couple of times and still got decent production.

Thanks.
Chuck

 

[dooleysm]

I've got about a dozen potatoes left in the basement that all have at least 6" sprouts all over them. I was planning to cut them down to 1-2 eyes per piece and make a row out of them. I think I've got some kennebecs and pontiacs. I'm planning to get a load of pontiacs and yukon golds from the seed store as well. I love growing and eating potatoes. I didn't have any to sell last year, but from what I saw at the farmers market, they sold really well. I'm concentrating on corn, potatoes, and watermelon to sell this year.

 

[WayneB]

darn it with three or four feet of snow on the ground, I am hardly thinking about potatoes yet! Although it won't take long for this to melt off next month.

 

[WarrenF]

From potato country....quit cutting up your seed potato's. Plant the potato whole, the ones that are about the size or a touch smaller than what you buy as #1 potato's.

If you want lots of potato's....plant the whole potato. I know, someone will come on here and tell us that he is a certified organic, only use compost....degreed agronomist and explain why what i said is wrong. However I will tell you that if you come out to potato country you will never see any farmer cutting seed potato's. You will also see them putting whole potato's in the ground.

The farmer who grew spuds on my place produced 525 sacks per acre. That is 525, one hundred pound sacks per acre. Compare production rates like that with anywhere in the country, you will find that is at the top. Therefore if they plant whole potato's.....I am planting whole potato's.

 

[greenmule]

See there,I knew they was a reason I was planting them whole!

Think the reason many cut up their potatoes according to the eyes is cause of hard times left over from when we was really hungry!
We always cut tators up,growing up,if you hadn't,you would have been real wastefull[or rich].And your potato crop was a big source of your diet,[we ate potatoes almost every day and sometimes twice],still do.And big patches too.

Reason I don't cut them is I think it helps with the rotting,and I ain't planting but enough for three people,and,its just easier!