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Lucius_Junius
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Location: Nova Scotia - Zone 6a

How small can a seed potato piece be?

I always try to leave my seed potato pieces relatively large, and every time I cut one particularly small (usually to fill out a row that would have otherwise fallen short) I worry that no sprout will be forthcoming - but I've never been disappointed. That said, I'm always tempted to cut them smaller for the sake of economy. I was just reading an interesting pamphlet that was released in France in the late 18th century, by Saint John de Crevècoeur, in which he insists that even a potato peel, if it has a bit of meat and at least one eye, will sprout a potato.

Keep in mind that de Crevècoeur was trying to convince his countrymen to plant more potatoes, so he has an interest in making them look good. Still, it got me to wondering; am I wasting a significant amount of seed potatoes by planting them whole, or cutting them far too large? Do I really need to split them so that every piece has three eyes?

Does anyone here cut their potatoes to the umpteenth degree? I would like to hear the results.

billw
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This has actually been studied quite a bit. There is not a one-size-fits-all answer - it partly depends on variety, climate, eye density, and other things. But, bigger is generally better, up to about 3.5oz.

More info:
https://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/CIS/CIS1031.pdf

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jal_ut
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Actually, it takes very little potato. You do need the eye complete. One eye will grow. Take a look at a sprout on a potato. Notice it has roots on it right down by the eye? That is a complete plant, you can break it off and plant it and it will grow.

Imagine a piece of potato as large as the last joint of your index finger. That is plenty of potato to leave on an eye to grow. You can have the rest of the spud for dinner.

That aside, when I am cutting potatoes to plant, I leave two eyes to a piece. Of course you will come to a point where the last piece has 3 eyes. I always cut it once more and have one piece with one eye. There is always a big difference in the size of the pieces, since the eyes are much closer on one end of the tuber, but it doesn't seem to matter. They all grow.



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