You bought potatoes at the store a while ago and forgot about them until you found them sprouting in the back of your pantry. What should you do? Throw them out? No way! They’re still good! You can plant those sprouted potatoes to grow new potatoes, and I’ll show you how.
It’s a common scenario – you dig up your bag of old potatoes to use for planting, only to find they’ve already sprouted shoots several inches or even feet long! While not ideal, sprouted seed potatoes can still be planted with some special considerations
In this article we’ll discuss the challenges of planting previously sprouted potatoes along with tips to help them grow successfully. With the right techniques you can salvage those spuds and turn their long sprouts into a plentiful potato harvest.
Why Do Potato Sprouts Grow So Long?
Potatoes form sprouts as a way to begin new growth The sprouts emerge from dormant “eyes” on the tuber and extend into stems looking for sunlight Some factors that cause excessively long sprouts include
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Age: Older potatoes tend to sprout more as growth hormones increase. Newly harvested potatoes sprout less.
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Storage Conditions: Warm temperatures, light exposure and excessive humidity cause rapid sprout growth.
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Variety: Some types, like red potatoes, are genetically prone to longer sprouting.
While a few short sprouts are fine, tubers with sprouts over 8 inches long may be compromised. The potato has already expended energy into sprout growth rather than forming a healthy plant.
Are Sprouted Potatoes Still Viable to Plant?
Potatoes with long sprouts can still grow productively if managed properly. The key is avoiding transplant shock and giving them the right start.
Trim excessively long sprouts by at least half their length before planting. Also focus on maintaining moist soil, protecting from frost and mounding soil to cover emerging sprouts.
With care, those sprouted spuds can yield potatoes while you order fresh, certified seed potatoes for next season. Don’t let long sprouts deter you from planting them.
Tips for Planting Previously Sprouted Potatoes
Here are some methods to improve your results planting potatoes with extensive sprouts:
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Cut back sprouts to 4-6 inches before planting. Long sprouts are fragile and prone to breaking.
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Plant sprouted potatoes in loose, fertile soil amended with compost for the best root growth.
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Water newly planted sprouted potatoes daily until well established. Prevent drying out.
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Apply a balanced organic fertilizer when planting and again at midseason to nourishment growth.
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Monitor soil moisture. Water thoroughly during tuber formation to increase size.
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Hill or mound soil over plants as sprouts emerge from the ground.
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Use a frost blanket if cold temperatures threaten newly planted sprouted potatoes.
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Harvest potatoes on the early side, before tubers push up out of the ground.
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Cure harvested potatoes in a dark, dry area for 2 weeks before storage or consumption.
Should You Remove All Visible Sprouts?
It’s fine to leave some short sprouts still attached to the potato seed pieces you plant, but long sprouts should be trimmed back. Remove any sprouts that:
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Are more than 6 inches long – these divert too much energy into leaf growth.
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Appear weak, damaged or rotted – unhealthy sprouts impair plant vigor.
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Are crowded together – thin sprouts to 1-3 single, short, stocky sprouts per seed potato.
The ideal planted sprout length is 1-2 inches. Still substantial enough to aid leaf growth but short enough to direct energy into the below-ground plant and tubers.
Storing Potatoes Properly to Limit Sprouting
To avoid dealing with excessively sprouted potatoes next season, here are some storage tips:
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Cure fresh dug potatoes 1-2 weeks in the dark at 50-60°F and high humidity before storage.
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Store cured potatoes in complete darkness at 40°F and 60-70% humidity.
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Choose potato varieties bred for longer dormancy periods.
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Inspect tubers frequently and remove any sprouting potatoes.
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Allow air flow around stored potatoes to prevent condensation.
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Store potatoes and apples separately – apples emit ethylene gas that hastens sprouting.
Properly storing potatoes mimics underground conditions to keep them dormant and unsprouted for months. Putting these measures in place means you can skip the challenges of planting long-sprouted potatoes again next season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Planting Sprouted Potatoes
Can I still eat potatoes with long sprouts?
Yes, sprouts can be removed and the potato eaten or cooked as normal. Just trim off long sprouts and any discolored or moldy areas on the tuber. The rest should be fine to use.
What if my sprouted potatoes have green skin?
Green skin means the potatoes have been exposed to too much light. Avoid planting or eating green-skinned potatoes as they can contain high levels of toxins like solanine. Discard any green potatoes.
How short should I cut very long potato sprouts?
It’s recommended to trim any sprouts longer than 6 inches down to just 1-2 inches max before planting. Aim for a few short, thick sprouts per seed potato.
Can I plant small whole potatoes that have sprouted?
Planting small “seedling” potatoes works fine. Just trim their long sprouts back to an inch or two and plant them a little shallower than larger pieces.
Should I cut the potatoes if they already have sprouts?
No need to cut sprouted potatoes before planting – you risk damaging the existing sprouts. Plant them whole as is. Just trim back overly long sprouts.
The Bottom Line on Planting Sprouted Potatoes
Don’t discard those old potatoes just because they’ve already sprouted long shoots and leaves while in storage. With some commonsense care like trimming back sprouts, amending soil, consistent watering and protecting from frost, previously sprouted potatoes can grow and yield a potato crop just fine.
While not the ideal way to plant potatoes, making use of your existing sprouted tubers lets you get another season of productivity from them before ordering new certified seed potatoes again next year. Just be sure to follow best storage practices moving forward to avoid dealing with overly enthusiastic sprouts season after season!
Key Takeaways on Planting Sprouted Potatoes:
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Trim excessively long sprouts back to just 1-2 inches before planting.
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Prevent transplant shock by planting in loose, fertile soil and watering diligently after planting.
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Hill soil over plants as sprouts emerge to prevent greening.
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Cure and properly store potatoes after harvest to discourage sprouting.
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Remove and discard any potatoes with green skin before planting or eating.
So don’t despair when you dig up those overzealous sprouted spuds this season. With some thoughtful care, those tubers can yield a bountiful crop and keep your garden productive.
Can you plant sprouted potatoes?
Yes! You can plant a sprouted potato and grow more potatoes.
It’s possible to get several potato plants and many new potatoes from just one sprouted potato if you do it right.
How to Regrow Sprouted Potatoes
You can plant any kind of sprouted potato from sweet potatoes to yellow or white potatoes.
First, dont plant the whole potato in the ground. Before you plant your sprouted potatoes, you should do a few things to make sure they do well. Dont worry, its easy. You dont need to be a gardening expert to pull off growing potato plants. Just follow these steps.
First, prep your garden bed by mounding soil into rows.
You should plant your potato sprouts no more than two to three days after making them, so get your garden bed ready first.
Potato plants grow best when you mound the dirt. This is because potatoes grow underneath the soil. The leaves of the potato plant grow above ground but the roots and potatoes will all develop underground. So the bigger the mound of dirt you create, the more room the potatoes will have to grow.
A simple way to mound soil in your garden is to scoop dirt on either side of the row you make and pile it up in the middle. You want the soil to mound between 8″ and 12″ tall.
I dont use a special tool for this other than gloves. I just mound the soil with my hands. For larger gardens, you can use a shovel, gardening hoe or rake.
Rows should be about 1 foot apart.
FAQ: When should I plant my potato sprouts?
When you plant, depends on where you live. Generally, early spring is when you will want to plant. You will need to make sure the ground temperature does not drop below 40°F (5°C). Generally the ground is warm enough 2-4 weeks before the last frost of the spring.
Note: Potato plants grow best in soil with a temperature of 45-50°F (8-10˚C). However, can grow in warmer conditions as well.
If the ground is still too cold, you can start your potato plants indoors for a while before moving them to the ground.
Count your potato sprouts.
How many plants you can get from a potato will depend on how many sprouts it has.
A potato sprouts from the eyes on the potato. Each sprouted eye can be cut and grown into a plant. If an eye has multiple sprouts, go ahead and leave those grouped together when you make your cuts.
Each sprouted potato will offer a different number of sprouts.
Cut each sprout using a serrated kitchen knife.
Cutting off a small piece of potato from each sprout or group of sprouts will help you separate them.
Youll want to plant your potato sprouts within 2-3 days of cutting. You want the skin to be dry enough to keep germs out, but not so dry that the sprouted parts dry out. You do not need to store the sprouts in water or soak them before planting. Do store them in a cool, dry place after cutting.
Plant your potato sprouts.
Potato sprouts should be planted cut-side down, sprout-side facing up. Youll want to plant each sprout 3-4″ below the surface of the soil. At least 12 inches should separate plants so they have room to grow above and below ground.
Planted potato sprouts will take about a weeks to push through the soil and open up their leaves. Keep the plants watered and make sure they get plenty of sun.
Continue to water and weed around your potato plants.
Fertilize your soil if its not very rich. As the plants grow, you can continue to mound soil around the base of the plant.
In general, potatoes need about 3 months to grow and produce a harvest. Some varieties may require more or less time.
Harvest your potatoes.
It’s hard to say how many or what size potatoes you’ll get because they grow underground. You’ll know your potato plants are ready to be picked, though, when the visible plant dies off, either after the first frost or on its own, which takes place in the fall.
Then for the fun part! Harvesting potatoes is like digging for treasure. Grab a garden fork and/or some garden gloves if you want to use your hands and dig in! Sift throw the mounded dirt until you find your potatoes. Youll likely get a variety of sizes.
Do not wash your harvested potatoes. You want to keep potatoes dry to avoid rot. To clean off the dirt, use a dry, soft vegetable brush. Store them in a cool dry place. Potatoes can usually be stored for up to 6 weeks or more.
If your potatoes begin to sprout before you get to use them. well, now you know what to do! Use that sprouted potato to grow more potatoes!.
If you live in a place that gets a lot of fall rain, spring through summer is the best time to grow potatoes.
Potatoes grow best in cooler climates with at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Potatoes will not typically survive temperatures less than 40˚F. Too warm isnt good either though. Soil temperatures warmer than 80˚F may fail to produce to potatoes.
If you’re not in a place warm enough to plant your sprouted potatoes, you can keep them in the fridge.
To store them, you want to put them in a location that is between 35-40˚F. A cool, dark and dry place is key. Your refrigerator or a cold basement would work. These conditions will force them to go dormant until youre ready to plant.
When you are ready to re-activate them, move them to a warm location. It’s fine if they’re dry and wrinkled as long as they’re not mushy and going bad (if they smell bad, that means they are). Some light and a little moisture can help them sprout again.
You don’t want to freeze them or leave them outside when temperatures drop below 35 or rise above 50. The ideal temperature range should remain between 35-40˚ Refrigerators are typically 40˚.
