How to Make Your Own Seed Potatoes
Potatoes grow easily from seed potatoes. You've probably unintentionally started a few of your own just by keeping a bag of potatoes around long enough for them to sprout. The potato is a tuber, which contains all the material necessary to start new plants. The tubers grow underground from the stem, not from the roots.
Look for potatoes that already have dimples. That's where the eye of the potato will grow. The eye is actually the beginnings of a new plant. Grocery stores often have several different kinds of potatoes, including red, fingerlings, russet, purple and Yukon gold. Potatoes in stores are treated to resist sprouting. Either buy organic potatoes or buy more potatoes than you think you'll need for sprouting.
- Potatoes grow easily from seed potatoes.
- The potato is a tuber, which contains all the material necessary to start new plants.
Place potatoes where they will receive light but not where it's hot and dry. The potatoes should send up sprouts in a week or two. One trick is to place the potatoes in cardboard egg cartons so they don't roll around.
Cut the potatoes so that each piece has one or two sprouts and a good amount of potato, about 1 1/2 inches square for each seed.
Let the cuts heal over into a callus, which should only take a day or two. Your seed potatoes are now ready to plant.
Tip
While it's fun to make your own seed potatoes, it's better to buy certified disease-free potato seeds.
Warning
All parts of the potato plant except the potato tuber are toxic. Wash your hands after handling.
Related Articles
References
Resources
Tips
- While it's fun to make your own seed potatoes, it's better to buy certified disease-free potato seeds.
Warnings
- All parts of the potato plant except the potato tuber are toxic. Wash your hands after handling.
Writer Bio
This article was written by the CareerTrend team, copy edited and fact checked through a multi-point auditing system, in efforts to ensure our readers only receive the best information. To submit your questions or ideas, or to simply learn more about CareerTrend, contact us [here](http://careertrend.com/about-us).
