Potato Planting Help

[SLC]

I hope someone can help as I am getting conflicting info off the internet.

Is it actually better to plant a whole potato with lots and lots of eyes? Or is it better to cut and plant with only 1-2 eyes?

Which will produce larger potatoes? Which will produce higher yields? Or does it not matter and that's according to the spacing?

I am so confused!

[wisconsindead]

Vermont Valley, the more popular/reputable organic potato producer in Wisconsin, says that in general smaller pieces give fewer and larger potatoes and larger pieces giver more smaller potatoes. It states nothing about total output. I can't say from experience. I am trying it with German Butterball this year. But I planted on different days in slightly different light conditions, so who knows. I planted really small pieces this year on accident. (0.3-1 oz/piece) but the plants are doing just fine. Ultimately, I think you'll be just fine either way. If you really want more potatoes, plant more potatoes.

[Gary350]

When I plant a whole potato I get big plants with NO crop of potatoes.

Make a small cutting with 1 eye to get larger potatoes.

Make a small cutting with 2 eyes to get smaller potatoes.

I am growing Russet potatoes each potato plant will produce 2 to 3 lbs of potatoes.

Plant potato cutting on the garden surface 8" apart with the eye to 1 side then cover them with 6" of soil plants will be coming up in 1 month. When plants are 12" tall put another 6" of soil on them. Short season potatoes like, Pontiac Red, Yukon Gold, Kennebec, is a 3 month crop.

If you plant, Russet, Idaho, German Butter ball, these are a 4 month crop. As long as you keep covering the plants with more soil they grow more potatoes every place soil touches the plant up to about 65 days. Long season potatoes is a 4 month crop.

Long season potatoes usually produce a larger crop of potatoes than short season potatoes.

I am having very good luck growing organic grocery store potatoes they are about the same price as seed potatoes. Keep potatoes warm in a dark place in 1 month eyes sprout. Make small cuttings let them dry 2 days before planting.

[Vanisle_BC]

I've planted small whole potatoes as well as pieces of larger ones. Never noticed a specific difference in yield between the two.

[applestar]

When you say small whole potato, do you mean “hen’s egg size” such as usually described for a seed potato? The attributed difference is number of eyes. Also should keep in mind the spacing used since multiple “eyes” means multiple plants growing in same space, as well as soil and how they were planted, watering, etc other cultural techniques.

[Vanisle_BC]

When you say small whole potato, do you mean “hen’s egg size”

Hen's egg would be about right, usually with 2-3 eyes; cut pieces of similar size & no of eyes. But I confess to not being very 'fussy' about getting it 'just right' or keeping detailed records. Maximizing spud harvest isn't a priority with me.

[jal_ut]

Wanna plant potatoes? Can you find certified disease free potatoes from your garden store? You for sure want to plant disease free potatoes. Yes, the tubers can carry disease. OK, do you have potatoes in your pit that are from your garden last season? If so you can plant these tubers. I find it best to cut the tubers to one or two eyes per piece. You know each eye makes its own plant. You don't want 7 or 8 plants in one hole, so you cut them to one or two eyes per piece. Plant these pieces about two inches deep.

[jal_ut]

It is good to add some nitrogen fertilizer to the soil when you plant. Once the plants are up and growing well you hill up the plants. The reason for hilling is to keep the sun from hitting the developing tubers. They are very close to the soil surface and if the sun hits them, they turn green and get a strong flavor. You hill them only once and just a couple of inches of soil is all that is required. The tubers form in the ground where you planted them , not in the stuff you hill them with. Keep them watered.

About varieties, I like the Red Pontiacs and the Russets. Have fun!