I have a lot of potatoes that I've been saving. They are very anxious to get into the ground. All are sending out sprouts. All are supermarket spuds. I thought the mail order seed potatoes were too expensive. Last year supermarket my potatoes grew great.
My collection includes a nice Idaho baker, a Yukon Gold, a whole bag of mixed fingerlings (a mix of La Ratte, Russian Banana, French and Rose Finn), and a white sweet potato.
My plan is that Friday is potato planting day. This will be my first crop planted at my community plot! Exciting.
Solanum tuberosum
12 comments:
I have never considered planting potatoes from the grocery store. Can you say a bit more about how the procedure works? How do you prep them? Do you have to wait for sprouts? Do you just put them in the soil and wait for more to grow?
We have been so happy with our potatoes this year. Being our first year we only planted one kind, but I have plans for some different varieties next year. Oh and I'm glad that you enjoy our blog! I love reading all about your community plot. I guess you could say that I am living through you since we don't have those available!
I have thought about growing potatoes but don't they take up a lot of room? and don't you need a 'lightweight' soil mixture such as with sand since they are root crops?
I too would like to see more info on how you grow super market spuds.
Thanks for the post.
Oops, I forgot to answer Paul's question. I like to keep potatoes in the warm kitchen with no sunlight until they sprout. Just before planting, I cut the larger tubers into thirds or quarters (they should have 2-3 eyes and be at least about 2 square inches). The tiny ones don't get cut. That's it. Then just plant them.
Also, remember to plant the potato sprouts facing UP. Otherwise you'll be in the same position as Crista was.
I am so encouraged by this! I read somewhere not to use supermarket potatoes because they're treated with something that doesn't let them sprout! Now I just have to find room in the garden for them.
Well, they sprout all the time at my house...but I've read that they may carry diseases...it just sounds to me like the seed growers want to protect their business. (Can't blame 'em for that.but it doesn't mean I need to pay their sky high prices either.)
HEY GUYS! THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN SPROUT FROM YOUR SUPERMARKET. TRY TO GET NON GMO'S, BUT GENERATIONAFTER GENERATION, YOU CAN GET A WHOLE GARDEN FREE FROM YOUR LEFTOVERS!!! EXAMPLES: WATERCRESS, SCALLIONS, GARLIC, SHOLLOTS, CARROT TOPS, THICK BRANCHED SPINACH, ONION TOPS, CUT OFF TOMATO BRANCHES, HYDROPONIC LETTUCE WITH THE ROOTS STILL ATTACHED IN PLASTIC BOX, AVACADO SEEDS, POTATOES, CELERY BOTTOMS, ETC... WHY BUY FROM BIG AG WHEN YOU CAN REGROW YOUR COMPOST??? LOVE, ~ JEN
Beekeeper (Ed)- I've been using supermarket veggie seeds and tubers for over twenty years and your correct that they work fine. I save seeds from, tomatoes, squash, peppers and anything else I find interesting. Separate the seed, dry them out and store them in a cool dry place. This past year (2008) I grew peppers from seed that were better than three types bought from the catalog.
I always cut a good chunk of potato off with the sprouts when I fix potatoes for a meal. I then plant the chunks in any bare spot in the garden. When I hoe the weeds I hill them up and can usually get a weeks worth of spuds from my kitchen scraps.
Hi, I just came across your blog today. I'm an avid gardener myself and wanted to bring something to your attention. You should not use supermarket pototoes in your garden because of disease. This is a very real thing. It is not just that seed potatoe growers are protecting their business. There is actually a nematode here in the west that can wipe out whole potatoe crops. Once this is in the soil it doesn't go away. Please do not use supermarket potatoes. To me it is worth it to use certified disease free potatoes even if they do cost a bit more. Imagine spreading a disease to your garden that would effect your neighbor or ruin all future potatoe crops in your gargen. It is just not worth the risk.
Happy gardening.
Think again, FDA and AG departments would never allow nematode infested potatoes in the supermarket. Nematodes are real but you're not thinking about the whole picture. Produce has to be certified before it can cross the weigh scales set up for truckers.
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