If you’ve ever looked at a potato and noticed small dimples or spots, you might have wondered what they are. These are commonly called eyes, and understanding what is the eye of a potato is key to growing your own or storing them properly. They’re not just markings; they’re the start of new life for the plant.
Each potato eye is a tiny dormant bud. Potatoes are stems, not roots, and these eyes are where new sprouts emerge. When conditions are right, these buds wake up and begin to grow. Knowing how to handle them can mean the difference between a great harvest and a batch of shriveled spuds.
What Is The Eye Of A Potato
Simply put, the eye is the potato’s sprouting point. It’s a cluster of buds nestled in a slight indentation on the tuber’s surface. A single potato can have several eyes, and each one holds the potential to become an independent plant.
This design is the potato’s survival strategy. In the wild, an animal might eat part of a tuber, but the remaining eyes can still sprout. For gardeners, this means every eye is a potential plant. But it also means sprouting in your pantry can reduce the potato’s quality for eating.
Why Do Potato Eyes Sprout?
Sprouting is a natural process triggered by warmth, moisture, and time. The potato contains all the energy the new sprout needs to start growing. When you store potatoes in a cool, dark place, you’re essentially telling them to stay dormant. A warm, bright kitchen counter tells them it’s time to grow.
Once a sprout begins, it draws sugars and moisture from the potato flesh. This is why a heavily sprouted potato becomes soft and wrinkled. It’s used up its stored resources to fuel that new growth.
Are Sprouted Potatoes Safe to Eat?
This is a common concern. A potato with short, small sprouts is generally safe if you cut the sprouts and any green skin away completely. The issues arise from two compounds:
- Solanine: This natural toxin increases near sprouts and green skin. It can cause stomach upset in large amounts.
- Chaconine: Another glycoalkaloid that increases with sprouting and greening.
If the potato is very soft, shriveled, or has long, extensive sprouts, it’s best to compost it. The taste and texture will be poor, and the concentration of unwanted compounds is higher. Always remove any green portions thoroughly.
How to Plant Potatoes Using the Eyes
Planting potatoes from eyes is straightforward and rewarding. You don’t plant a whole potato; you create pieces called “seed potatoes.” Here’s how to do it right.
1. Choosing and Preparing Seed Potatoes
Start with certified disease-free seed potatoes from a garden center. Grocery store potatoes are often treated with sprout inhibitors. Cut the potato into chunks, ensuring each piece has at least one or two healthy-looking eyes. Each piece should be about the size of a golf ball.
Let the cut pieces “cure” for a day or two. This allows the cut surfaces to dry and form a callus, which helps prevent rot once planted.
2. The Planting Process
Plant when the soil is workable in early spring. Potatoes like loose, well-draining soil. Follow these steps:
- Dig a trench about 6 inches deep.
- Place the seed potato piece with the eye facing upward.
- Space pieces about 12 inches apart in the trench.
- Cover with 4 inches of soil.
As the plants grow, you’ll “hill” soil around the stems. This encourages more tubers to form along the buried stem and prevents sunlight from reaching them (which causes greening).
How to Prevent Unwanted Sprouting in Storage
To keep your eating potatoes from sprouting to soon, you need to mimic dormancy conditions. Proper storage is the answer.
- Cool Temperature: Store at 45-50°F (7-10°C). A basement, garage, or cool pantry is ideal. Fridges are often too cold and can convert starch to sugar.
- Darkness: Keep them in complete darkness. Use a paper bag, burlap sack, or a cardboard box. Never store in a clear plastic bag.
- Ventilation: Allow for some air flow. A perforated paper bag works better than a sealed plastic one.
- Keep Them Dry: Don’t wash potatoes before storing. Brush off excess dirt and let them be.
Also, store potatoes away from onions. They both release gases that can accelerate spoilage in each other. Check your stored potatoes every few weeks and remove any that are starting to go soft.
Chitting: Encouraging Eyes Before Planting
Chitting means pre-sprouting your seed potatoes indoors. This gives them a head start, leading to earlier harvests. About 4-6 weeks before your last frost date, place your seed potato pieces in an egg carton or shallow tray.
Put them in a cool, bright room (not direct sun) with the eyes facing up. Short, sturdy green sprouts will form. These are much better than the long, pale sprouts you see in a pantry. When it’s time to plant, handle these sprouts carefully to avoid breaking them.
Common Problems Related to Potato Eyes
Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Here’s what to watch for:
- No Eyes Sprouting: The seed piece may have been too small, rotted in wet soil, or was from a treated potato. Always use certified seed.
- Eyes Rotting in Storage: This is usually due to excess moisture or poor curing before storage. Ensure potatoes are dry and have good air circulation.
- Multiple Sprouts from One Eye: This is normal! You can let them all grow, or gently rub off the smaller ones to direct energy to one or two main stems.
FAQ: Your Potato Eye Questions Answered
Can you plant a potato without an eye?
No. The eye contains the bud needed for a new plant. A piece of potato flesh without an eye will simply rot in the ground.
How many eyes should be on a seed potato piece?
One or two robust eyes is perfect. Too many eyes can lead to a crowded, competitive plant with many small tubers. You can actually cut a potato into single-eye pieces if each has enough flesh attached.
What’s the difference between a potato eye and a root?
Eyes are buds that produce sprouts (stems and leaves). Roots emerge from the sprout itself, below the soil line, and from the seed piece. They are two distinct parts of the plant’s growth system.
Why are some potatoes eyes deeper than others?
It varies by variety. Some potatoes, like Russets, have deep, pronounced eyes. Others, like many yellow-fleshed varieties, have shallower eyes. Deep eyes can make peeling a bit more tedious, but it doesn’t affect flavor or growing ability.
Is the eye of the potato the only place a sprout can come from?
Primarily, yes. While very occasionally a sprout might emerge from a wound or other place, the organized eyes are the designated growth points. They are arranged in a spiral pattern around the tuber, following it’s genetic design.
Understanding the humble potato eye gives you so much more control in the kitchen and the garden. It allows you to store food longer and grow your own supply with confidence. By managing light, temperature, and moisture, you can decide whether those eyes stay dormant or become the start of your next crop. With this knowledge, you can make the most of every potato you buy or grow.