Plants have a way of coming back, growing strong, nothing else in the world shows us this quite as well.
Considering this amazing feat of plants re-establishing themselves, you may have expected to see examples from the most interesting or incredible distant places.
However, one of the best examples is a common, every-day plant, the potato.
Although potatoes vary in their colors, sizes and purposes, they have all become a food staple around the world as they are known for their delicious, starchy, high carb goodness.
They are also one of the easier vegetables out there to grow, yet still maintain a bit of their own mystery to new growers because of their planting differences.
A potato plant will grow again from a potato, a sprout will emerge from one of the “eyes” – a small dimple on the potato surface. When the conditions are right a full new potato plant will grow from this sprout.
This article will show you how to prepare seed potatoes before planting.
Contents
- 1 How to grow potatoes
- 2 Do potatoes produce seeds
- 3 Where are the eyes of a potato
- 4 How to plant potatoes from eyes
- 5 Chitting potatoes
- 6 Planting seed potatoes
- 7 Adding fertilizer to potatoes
- 8 The results
- 9 Recommended Materials
- 10 Yukon Gold Potatoes - (4 lb seeds)
- 11 FARM DIRECT- ORGANIC SEED POTATOES- Red Gold 2 lbs.
- 12 Simply Seed - 5 LB - Red Pontiac Potato Seed - Non GMO - Organic Grown - Order Now for Spring Planting
- 13 SEED POTATOES - 1 lb. Charlotte * Organic Grown * Non GMO * Virus & Chemical Free * Ready for Spring Planting *
- 14 HAHOME 4 Packs Potato Planting Bag, Garden Grow Bags with Handle and Access Flap for Vegetables Carrots Onions Tomatoes Taro Radish Peanut (Green)
- 15 Simply Seed - 15 Piece Potato Seed - Organic Grown - German Butterballs - Non GMO - Spring Planting
- 16 Simply Seed - Russet Burbanks - Organic Grown Seed Potatoes - 5 LBS - Ready for Spring Planting
- 17 ANPHSIN 10 Gallon Garden Potato Grow Bags with Flap and Handles 4 Pack
- 18 1kg Organic Potato Fertiliser
- 19 5 Pounds - Potassium Sulfate - Sulfate of Potash
- 20 Voluntary Purchasing Group Inc. 32145 4 lb. Muriate Potash
- 21 Organic Potato Fertilizer
- 22 Winchester Gardens NPK 6-3-9 Select Organics Potato Granular Fertilizer, 3-Pound
How to grow potatoes
If you would like more information about growing your own potatoes, please read my article How to grow potatoes. This covers everything you need to know from planting, preparing seed, growing, harvesting and storage and more about this great vegetable.
Do potatoes produce seeds
Although many people think of starting a garden with packets of seeds bought from a catalog or their local garden supply store, potatoes tend to be a little different.
I have never seen a package of tiny potato seeds for sale anywhere, and this is for good reason.
The part of a potato plant that should be planted in the ground is actually the tuber, or the potato that we eat.
Potatoes will sprout and bolt, producing seeds, but these are not what we plant as they will not grow potatoes or even the same varieties of plants that we had initially harvested from.
With potato seeds, you never know what you will end up with, which is usually nothing. Instead, we have what is called a seed potato, which is an actual potato, they are easy to come by at any garden center or store.
Although it might seem an easier option, it isn’t a great idea to just buy a package of potatoes from the grocery store.
The reason to buy from our garden centers is because the potatoes will have been chemically treated against diseases and they will be graded for size and certified, to ensure they are good to plant.
Where are the eyes of a potato
As all of us have seen, potatoes that are left for too long will inevitably begin to sprout. The sprouts grow from what we call the “eyes” of the potato.
Before the sprouts begin to grow, the eyes can be identified as slight indents in the skin where there is a dry nub sticking straight out from the potato.
Eyes can mature in almost any area where the potatoes are stored, dark or light, hot or cool.
Once they begin to mature, they will start to form bigger clusters and from these, shoot sprouts up and out.
How to plant potatoes from eyes
Planting potatoes from eyes is not a difficult process.
After I buy my seed potatoes, I sort the large potatoes from the small ones. I will plant the small potatoes as a whole tuber in the ground, but I normally cut the larger potatoes into quarters, making sure each quarter has a number of eyes on it.
I make sure to use a clean knife and cut the potato into at least one inch square chunks with a number of eyes on it, then I leave them to dry.
Another safeguard is to coat them in a powdered Sulphur mixture before they dry. Taking this in as they dry will reinforce that “wall” and help protect them even more.
After drying you should put the cut potatoes and the small whole potatoes into a shed or warmer area and leave in there for a week or two or until the seed potatoes start to show a small sprout or bud ¼” to ½” long – this is known as chitting.
Chitting potatoes
What if the seed potatoes were bought with good intentions to be planted right away but life cropped up and got in the way?
Then, when they are pulled out of the cupboard, the potatoes have already started to sprout!
Beware these accidental self chitted potatoes will have long white sprouts which will be easily broken off – they need to be brought out of the dark cupboard and placed into the sunlight to turn the brittle white chit into a green flexible one perfect for planting.
Chitting just means that before the potatoes planted they are set in a slightly warmish spot and encouraged to sprout from their eyes before being planted.
It is important to place them in this specific type of environment as potatoes generally won’t start to sprout if they are kept in a cold place.
The perfect environment is a slightly warm place with good ventilation (discourages mould and disease) and plenty of light.
Planting seed potatoes
After I till the soil, I then plant the seed potatoes by placing them on top of the flat tilled soil in a straight line with the eye, or sprout side, up.
It is a good idea to space the seed potatoes about 12-16 inches apart along the drill so that the plant will have enough room to grow.
After the row of potatoes is placed, I then use my shovel to lift the soil from the sides of the potato row and place it on top. I cover the potatoes with around 6 inches of soil. This will leave a trough on either side of the potato seed thereby forming a drill.
I normally put my drills or rows around 30” apart, centre of one drill to centre of the other.
Adding fertilizer to potatoes
I normally scatter some potato fertilizer onto the soil during tilling to help my crop grow. A high P and K fertilizer is required ( see list at end of article)
The results
One planted potato will in turn produce one potato plant, this plant will produce 10 to 12 potatoes, the more space you give them in the drill the bigger the potatoes will be (all things considered).
It is not really necessary to cut potatoes unless they are excessively large, and if you are buying certified seed they will all be graded for size so you actually have any large ones to cut.
Good luck!
Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
Recommended Materials
Yukon Gold Potatoes - (4 lb seeds)
Amazon.comFeatures
- NEW SEED DISEASE FREE TESTED NO CHEMICALS
- FRESH 2017 SEED SPROUTED AND READY TO GROW
- Americas top selling and best tasting seed mix.
- Guaranteed to Grow Results
- Orders ship two day express mail Guaranteed to grow results!
FARM DIRECT- ORGANIC SEED POTATOES- Red Gold 2 lbs.
Features
| Product Group | Lawn & Patio |
| Product Type Name | SEEDS_AND_PLANTS |
| Title | FARM DIRECT- ORGANIC SEED POTATOES- Red Gold 2 lbs. |
Simply Seed - 5 LB - Red Pontiac Potato Seed - Non GMO - Organic Grown - Order Now for Spring Planting
$13.99 out of stock
Features
- Simply Seed - Fresh 2018 Seed for Spring Planting -
- Americas Finest Seed Non GMO Excellent Disease Resistanc
- Top quality Tubers Are Hand Selected And Packaged Once Order Is Completed
SEED POTATOES - 1 lb. Charlotte * Organic Grown * Non GMO * Virus & Chemical Free * Ready for Spring Planting *
Features
- Organic Grown - Virus & Chemical Free
- Non GMO - Easy to Grow - Disease Resistant
- Zones: 3-10 / Full to Part Sun / Matures in 80-90 Days
- Seed Potatoes Start Shipping March 1st, 2016 - Ships USPS Priority Mail
- Comes With Easy to Follow Planting Instructions
HAHOME 4 Packs Potato Planting Bag, Garden Grow Bags with Handle and Access Flap for Vegetables Carrots Onions Tomatoes Taro Radish Peanut (Green)
Free shipping
Features
- 【Sturdy for Reusable】: -----The plant grow bags made of environmentally friendly thick non-woven fabric, lightweight and super sturdy, reusable for many years.
- 【Breathable Design】: -----Made with high quality moisture-proof and breathable material that prevents overwatering and it can automatically percolate excess water. Provides an healthy environment for root plants.
- 【Access Flap Design】: -----The potatoes grow bags has designed a visualization Velcro window that can be opened and closed, through which you not only can check whether your plant is mature and you can easily harvest plants through the window without having to dig in soil.
- 【Easy to Operate】: -----Has two firm handles that allows you can move it easily, and access flap helps you harvest your potatoes without damaging the plant.
- 【Widely Use】: -----Vegetable grow bags is ideal for in patios, small gardens, balconies, sun rooms, and any outdoor space. They can be used to plant the potato, taro, radish, carrots, onions, and many other vegetables.
Simply Seed - 15 Piece Potato Seed - Organic Grown - German Butterballs - Non GMO - Spring Planting
Features
- Simply Seed - Fresh 2018 Seed for Spring Planting - Buy Now Before We Sell Out Again
- Americas Finest Seed Non GMO Excellent Disease Resistance
- Top quality Tubers Are Hand Selected And Packaged Once Order Is Placed
- Customer receive fifteen German Butterball potato tubors great variety for grow bags and patio planters!
- Order Now So You Can Have Fresh Potatoes From Your Garden Seed Ships Same Day Priority
Simply Seed - Russet Burbanks - Organic Grown Seed Potatoes - 5 LBS - Ready for Spring Planting
Features
- Simply Seed - Fresh 2018 Seed for Spring Planting - Buy Now Before We Sell Out Again
- Americas Finest Seed Non GMO Excellent Disease Resistance
- Top quality Tubers Are Hand Selected And Packaged Once Order Is Placed
- Receive Five Full Pounds Of Beautiful Russet Burbank Potatoes.
- Order Now So You Can Have Fresh Potatoes From Your Garden Seed Ships Same Day Priority
ANPHSIN 10 Gallon Garden Potato Grow Bags with Flap and Handles 4 Pack
Free shipping
Features
- These grow bags are made of sturdy material, allow roots to breathe and grow healthier, and make plants have really thick stems and healthy roots. You can also observe the growth of roots and seeds from the flap.
- Ventilated holes on the bottom and side improve aeration, provide better drainage and air flow. But importantly air prunes the roots and helps branch root system out.
- The size is large enough to create a stable growing environment for veggies and flower. The strong handles make them easy to move around as your needs.
- 4 pack vegetable planter bags make planting, growing, and harvesting easier and great for Potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes flower etc.
- These bags can easily be used for several seasons and not take up much space when storing.
Features
| Binding | Lawn & Patio |
| Brand | Vitax |
| EAN | 5054203827020 |
| EAN List | 5054203827020; 5055942920898; 5012351100044; 5558973658964; 7107711353043; 5054251073462 |
| Item Dimensions | Height: 827; Length: 512; Weight: 236; Width: 236 |
| Label | Vitax |
| Manufacturer | Vitax |
| Model | Vitax |
| MPN | Vitax |
| Package Dimensions | Height: 244; Length: 827; Weight: 234; Width: 520 |
| Package Quantity | 1 |
| Part Number | Vitax |
| Product Group | Lawn & Patio |
| Product Type Name | OUTDOOR_LIVING |
| Publisher | Vitax |
| Studio | Vitax |
| Title | 1kg Organic Potato Fertiliser |
5 Pounds - Potassium Sulfate - Sulfate of Potash
Free shipping
Features
- A good source of potassium and sulfur
- Shipped in a resealable bag that is sealed for safety and freshness. It includes a tear-off tab for easy opening.
Voluntary Purchasing Group Inc. 32145 4 lb. Muriate Potash
Free shipping
Features
- Muriatic of potash
- High yield formula
- Excellent source of potassium
- Four pound bag
- Helps grow delicious potatoes and carrots
Organic Potato Fertilizer
Features
- 3 lbs. Organic Potato Fertilizer
- All-Natural & Non-GMO Sourced Potato Fertilizer (3-6-6).
- 3 lbs. will feed 30 potato plants for an entire season.
- Guaranteed to increase yields, size, health and vigor of your potato plants.
- Derived from: Fish Bone Meal, Gypsum, Blood Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Sulfate of Potash & Feather Meal.
Winchester Gardens NPK 6-3-9 Select Organics Potato Granular Fertilizer, 3-Pound
Free shipping
Features
- NPK Composition: 6-3-9
- Great for sweet potatoes, bakers, boilers and reds
- Encourages all-around growth
- Includes spoon
- 3 Lbs. package
