Hi all,
Here in New Zealand it's Summer and I've just lifted my first heirloom potatoes. Unfortunately I did not earth them up as much as I should have and a few of them are greened. We know not to eat these, however...
1. Can greened potatoes be used as seed potatoes for the next crop, once they've been sprouted?
and
2. Does the size of the seed potato dictate the size of potatoes from the resulting plant, I.e. if I plant a tiny potato so small it is not worth eating, will I get big potatoes from the plant?
That second question might seem a bit odd, but I know with Yams [Oxalis Tuberosa], the size of the seed directly influences the size of the resulting crop.
Thank you, Rob.
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jal_ut
- Super Green Thumb
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Yes, green potatoes can be used for seed.
The size of the crop has more to do with the fertility of the soil than the size of the seed.
The problem I see with planting a full potato, whether large or small is that each eye on the potato can send forth a sprout and you get a number of plants competing with each other. (Yes, each eye develops into an individual plant.) So the plants compete with each other and you are likely to get lots of vary small potatoes.
I find that I get the best yields when I cut the seed potato and leave one or two eyes on a piece.
The size of the crop has more to do with the fertility of the soil than the size of the seed.
The problem I see with planting a full potato, whether large or small is that each eye on the potato can send forth a sprout and you get a number of plants competing with each other. (Yes, each eye develops into an individual plant.) So the plants compete with each other and you are likely to get lots of vary small potatoes.
I find that I get the best yields when I cut the seed potato and leave one or two eyes on a piece.
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joshbuchan
- Senior Member
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- Location: Clevedon, UK
well u migh aswell try and sprout them, u cant eat them so u are not loseing anything,
and no it dose not matter how big the potato is, if its a big potato with a cupple sprouted eyes I cut it up into chuncks, making sure theres a sprouted eye to each chunck or it will not grow, I don't sprout smaller potatos cuz I love small rosted potatos.
and no it dose not matter how big the potato is, if its a big potato with a cupple sprouted eyes I cut it up into chuncks, making sure theres a sprouted eye to each chunck or it will not grow, I don't sprout smaller potatos cuz I love small rosted potatos.
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gixxerific
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Yeah what they all said.
Plus if visual learning is better for you. Google "How to plant potatoes" there are tons of videos that will help you. From how to actually plant them in the ground to how to cut up your seed potatoes for planting.
On that Google search page there should be a bunch of You Tube videos as well this is mainly what I was meaning above.
Good luck
Oh and Potatoes like it deep. Plant deep and after they start growing keep piling the soil (compost) on top than keep mounding throughout the growing season. Fresh spuds are really something and the one in the stores cant even come close.
Plus if visual learning is better for you. Google "How to plant potatoes" there are tons of videos that will help you. From how to actually plant them in the ground to how to cut up your seed potatoes for planting.
On that Google search page there should be a bunch of You Tube videos as well this is mainly what I was meaning above.
Good luck
Oh and Potatoes like it deep. Plant deep and after they start growing keep piling the soil (compost) on top than keep mounding throughout the growing season. Fresh spuds are really something and the one in the stores cant even come close.