Have you found some old potatoes in your pantry that have started to sprout? Don’t throw them away! This is a perfect opportunity to grow your own food. Learning how to plant potatoes that have sprouted is a simple and rewarding project for any gardener, even if you’re just starting out. Those sprouts are a sign of life, and with a little care, you can turn one potato into a whole harvest.
This guide will walk you through the entire process, from choosing the right spuds to digging up your new potatoes. It’s easier than you might think, and you don’t need a lot of space. A large pot or a small patch of ground is all you need to get started on this fun gardening adventure.
How to Plant Potatoes That Have Sprouted
Before you run outside with your sprouted potato, there’s a bit of preparation needed. Taking these first steps correctly sets you up for a much better harvest later on. It all starts with selecting the best candidates from your sprouted collection and getting them ready for the soil.
Choosing and Preparing Your Seed Potatoes
Not every sprouted potato is ideal for planting. Grocery store potatoes are sometimes treated with a sprout inhibitor, which can make them slower to grow. If you can, use organic potatoes or ones specifically sold as “seed potatoes.” These are guaranteed to be disease-free and ready for planting.
First, look at your sprouted potatoes. You want them to be firm, not soft or wrinkly. The sprouts, often called “eyes,” should be short, stocky, and colorful (usually purple, green, or pinkish). Long, pale, and spindly sprouts are a sign the potato was kept in the dark; they’re more fragile but can still work.
- Cutting Larger Potatoes: If your potato is larger than a chicken egg, you can cut it into pieces. Each piece should have at least 1-2 strong sprouts or eyes. Use a clean knife to make firm cuts.
- The Curing Step: After cutting, let the pieces sit in a cool, airy place for 1-2 days. This allows the cut surface to dry and form a callus, which helps prevent rot once planted.
- Planting Whole Potatoes: Small, egg-sized potatoes with sprouts can be planted whole. This is often simpler and reduces the risk of rot.
Picking the Perfect Spot and Soil
Potatoes love sunshine and loose soil. They need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. The soil is the most important factor for success. It must be well-draining. Potatoes sitting in soggy soil will quickly rot.
You can grow them directly in a garden bed, in raised beds, or in containers like large pots, grow bags, or even a bucket with holes drilled in the bottom. Containers are a fantastic option if your garden space is limited or if your ground soil is heavy clay.
Prepare your soil by mixing in plenty of compost. Potatoes are heavy feeders and enjoy rich, slightly acidic soil. Avoid using fresh manure, as it can promote scab disease on the potato skins. Loosen the soil deeply, about 10-12 inches down, to give the roots and new potatoes room to expand easily.
The Step-by-Step Planting Process
Now for the main event! Timing is good in early spring, a few weeks before your last expected frost date. Potatoes can handle a light frost but not a hard freeze. The soil should be workable, not frozen or sopping wet.
- Dig a Trench or Hole: In a garden bed, dig a straight trench about 6-8 inches deep. For containers, ensure you have at least 12-16 inches of soil depth. Place your seed potato piece or whole potato in the trench with the sprouts pointing upward. This is crucial—the sprouts need to grow up toward the sun.
- Spacing is Key: Place each potato piece about 12 inches apart in the row. If you’re planting multiple rows, space the rows about 2-3 feet apart. This gives the plants plenty of room to grow without competing for nutrients.
- Cover Gently: Cover the potato pieces with 4 inches of your prepared soil. Do not pack it down tightly; just gently fill the trench. Water the area thoroughly after planting to settle the soil.
What to Expect After Planting
In about 2-4 weeks, you’ll see green shoots poke through the soil. Once these plants grow to be about 6-8 inches tall, it’s time for a special technique called “hilling.” This is the secret to a bigger harvest.
The Importance of Hilling Your Potatoes
Hilling means mounding soil around the base of the growing plant. New potatoes form on stems above the original seed piece. By covering the lower stem with soil, you encourage the plant to produce more potatoes along the buried stem.
When your plants are 6-8 inches tall, use a hoe or your hands to pull loose soil from between the rows up around the stem. Cover about half the plant, leaving the top leaves exposed. You’ll repeat this process 2-3 more times as the plant continues to grow. In containers, you can simply add more soil mix as the plant gets taller.
- Benefits of Hilling: It produces more potatoes, protects developing spuds from sunlight, and supports the plant. Potatoes exposed to sun will turn green and become toxic.
- Mulching as an Alternative: Instead of soil, you can hill with straw or leaves. This is called the “straw mulch” method and makes harvesting incredibly easy.
Watering, Feeding, and Care
Consistent watering is vital, especially once the plants start flowering, as this is when tubers begin forming in earnest. Aim for about 1-2 inches of water per week. The soil should be moist but never waterlogged. Inconsistent watering can lead to misshapen potatoes.
A month or so after planting, you can feed your plants with a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer. Too much nitrogen will give you a huge, leafy plant with very few potatoes. Compost tea or a fertilizer higher in phosphorus and potassium is a good choice.
Keep an eye out for pests like Colorado potato beetles. Pick them off by hand if you see them. Good crop rotation (not planting potatoes in the same spot year after year) helps prevent disease build-up in the soil.
Harvesting Your Homegrown Potatoes
You can harvest potatoes at two stages. For tender “new” potatoes, you can carefully dig around the plant with your hands about 2-3 weeks after the plants stop flowering. Take a few, and let the plant keep growing.
For full-sized, storage potatoes, wait until the plant’s foliage turns yellow and begins to die back. This usually happens in late summer or fall. Stop watering at this point. After the foliage has died, wait another 1-2 weeks, then choose a dry day to harvest.
- Use a garden fork, inserting it well away from the plant’s base to avoid spearing your potatoes.
- Gently lift the plant and sift through the soil with your hands to find all the hidden spuds.
- Let the harvested potatoes cure in a dark, well-ventilated place for 1-2 weeks. This toughens their skin for storage.
Storing Your Potato Bounty
After curing, brush off any dry soil—do not wash them until you’re ready to use them. Store your potatoes in a cool, dark, and humid place. Ideal storage conditions are around 40-50°F (4-10°C). A basement or root cellar is perfect. Avoid storing potatoes and onions together, as gases from onions can cause potatoes to spoil faster.
Check on them periodically and remove any that start to soften or sprout. When stored properly, your homegrown potatoes can last for several months, providing delicious meals long after the garden is asleep.
FAQ: Common Questions About Planting Sprouted Potatoes
Can I plant a potato that has long, white sprouts?
Yes, you can, but handle them carefully. Those long sprouts are brittle. If they break off, the potato will need to develop new ones, which delays growth. You can still plant it gently with the sprouts facing up.
Do I need to remove some sprouts from a potato with many?
It’s a good idea. A potato with a dozen sprouts will produce many small, competing plants. For larger potatoes, choose 3-4 of the strongest sprouts and rub the others off before cutting and planting.
How deep should you bury sprouted potatoes?
Start with 4 inches of soil above them. Through the process of hilling, you will eventually bury the stem much deeper, up to 12 inches or more over the season.
Can you grow potatoes from peelings?
It’s not reliable. The peeling needs a piece of the “eye” or sprout, and it has very little energy stored to grow a new plant. It’s much better to use a whole piece of the potato with a sprout.
Why are my potato plants flowering?
Flowering is a normal part of the growth cycle! It doesn’t mean the potatoes are ready, but it often signals that tuber formation is beginning underground. It’s a good sign.
Planting sprouted potatoes is a fantastic way to reduce waste and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own food. With these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to a succesful harvest. Just remember the basics: plant in loose soil, keep them watered, hill them up, and be patient. Before you know it, you’ll be digging up your very own homegrown potatoes.