Planting potatoes
 

Hi,
Can store bought potatoes (forgot I bought them to make for dinner) that are
rock hard and have developed lots of eyes be planted? If so, do I plant whole
or cut them up? Are the eyes planted down or up?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Donna

Planting potatoes
 

As the eyes have started growth they will be quite suitable for planting.
The ideal size is similar to an egg. Larger can be cut in half as long as
eyes remain on the halves. Eyes up or down is immaterial unless the eyes
have really long growth.
They will probably be a late variety and the space would have been better
taken by an early variety.
Best Wishes.
"Dunzley" wrote in message
...
Hi,
Can store bought potatoes (forgot I bought them to make for dinner) that
are
rock hard and have developed lots of eyes be planted? If so, do I plant
whole
or cut them up? Are the eyes planted down or up?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Donna

Planting potatoes
 

As the eyes have started growth they will be quite suitable for planting.
The ideal size is similar to an egg. Larger can be cut in half as long as
eyes remain on the halves. Eyes up or down is immaterial unless the eyes
have really long growth.
They will probably be a late variety and the space would have been better
taken by an early variety.
Best Wishes.
"Dunzley" wrote in message
...
Hi,
Can store bought potatoes (forgot I bought them to make for dinner) that
are
rock hard and have developed lots of eyes be planted? If so, do I plant
whole
or cut them up? Are the eyes planted down or up?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Donna

Planting potatoes
 

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 16:50:29 +0000, Dunzley wrote:

Hi,
Can store bought potatoes (forgot I bought them to make for dinner) that
are rock hard and have developed lots of eyes be planted? If so, do I
plant whole or cut them up? Are the eyes planted down or up? Thanks in
advance.
Regards,
Donna


Yes, you can plant grocery store potatoes, but I'd recommend agaist it.
It's far better to purchase certified seed potatoes every year. The
reasoning behind this is due to potato blight. Ownce you get a crop of
potatoes with blight, you may never get it out of your soil. Purchasing
certified potatoes will help ensure your crop will be blight and scab
free. This in no way means that you won't get infected, but your chances
are much lower than with grocery store potatoes.

If you feel the need to plant them anyway, you'll want to cut the potato
in to cubes. 1 to 2 inch cubes with at least one eye per cube. Plant them
into the ground 3 to 4 inches with the sprout(s) pointed up.
Good Luck.

Planting potatoes
 

On 13 Mar 2004 16:50:29 GMT, (Dunzley) wrote:

Hi,
Can store bought potatoes (forgot I bought them to make for dinner) that are
rock hard and have developed lots of eyes be planted? If so, do I plant whole
or cut them up? Are the eyes planted down or up?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Donna

Last year, in early April, faced with this exact problem with a red
potato, I cut it into quarters with an eye on each chunk. Left them
sit out in bright light until the cut surfaces "skinned" over. Stuck
them in the ground. Harvested nearly five pounds of spuds at the end
of summer.

One of last year's better gardening successes!

DaveT (cold side of zone 6)