"Baz" wrote in message
.. .
Jim xzy wrote in
. 4.11:

Hi all,

I have a question or three about planting potatoes. I bought three
types of seed potatoes from a local garden centre, a few weeks ago.
About 10% of one bag started sprouting in the bag, I noticed. I placed
those in egg boxes in a well-lit place (not directly sunlit). The
sprouts continued growing (slowly) for a couple of weeks and the
sproutings mostly turned a very dark colour (purple-blackish). Is this
normal? Are these spuds stull plantable?

That is normal and you would expect it.

What about the ones that haven't produced any sprouts? Can I plant
them, or should I wait for them to sprout, before planting?

They will grow just the same, but the ones with sprouts have a head start
and you should be able to harvest them a bit earlier than the others.


The instructions on the bags of seed potatoes tell me not to divide
each spud, but plant whole. This contradicts people who tell me I can
divide each one up, into parts, as long as each part has a couple of
eyes.

The instructions on the bag are (I think) discouraging you because they
simply want you to buy more seed potatoes. I divide mine and have not had
a
single problem in my 5 or is it 6? years of doing it.


Hope it all goes well Jim.

Baz

Cutting seed potatoes into segments, and even eating some, was a common
practice during the War. I do an illustrated talk to WI's and Ladies Groups
such as Townswomen's Guilds on Food Rationing during World War II and this
is one of the things which I mention.

Mike

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I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

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