It’s always my goal to find cheap ways to garden so I can grow more food for less money. And when the old potatoes in the pantry start to sprout, I can’t help but wonder if I can grow these into a new crop of potatoes. It may not seem like a good idea to plant store-bought potatoes, but you can grow potatoes from grocery store tubers if you know how.
Why Grow Potatoes from Store Bought?
Seed potatoes specially grown for planting are often recommended over grocery store tubers. But seed potatoes can be expensive and sometimes hard to find locally. Store bought potatoes are convenient and affordable. Before tossing old sprouting spuds, consider these benefits of planting them:
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Cost savings: Certified seed potatoes cost a lot more than store-bought potatoes.
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Convenience – No need to order and wait for delivery Use what you have on hand
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Fun experiment – Turn potential waste into free food!
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Organic options – Many stores now carry a good selection of organic potatoes
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Variety – Grow exclusive and hard-to-find potato varieties.
While seed potatoes have advantages like certification for disease resistance, with care and proper practices, grocery store spuds can still produce a successful crop.
Tips for the Best Results
Follow these tips to get the most out of planting store bought potatoes:
Select the Best Potatoes
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Choose organic – Conventional potatoes may be treated with sprout inhibitors. Organic is chemical-free.
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Check for sprouts – Potatoes that are actively sprouting are prime for planting.
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Avoid diseased or damaged – Select sound, blemish-free potatoes.
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Buy fresh – The newer the potato, the better it will grow. Older potatoes decline in viability.
Prepare Potatoes Properly
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Allow to chit – Let potatoes sit in a warm spot to develop robust sprouts before planting.
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Cut large tubers – Cutting encourages more plants. Leave small potatoes whole.
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Dry cut surfaces – Let sit 1-2 days to heal cuts and prevent rot.
Plant in Containers
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Use pots or buckets – Containers prevent disease spread to garden soil.
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Provide drainage – Ensure containers have holes for excess water to escape.
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Use sterile potting mix – Avoid introducing soil-borne diseases.
Provide Proper Care
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Sun and warmth – Potatoes thrive with at least 6-8 hours of sun and warm soil.
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Consistent moisture – Water deeply and regularly to keep soil evenly moist, but not soaked.
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Nutrition – Fertilize per package directions with a balanced organic fertilizer.
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Pest management – Watch for common potato pests like beetles, aphids, and worms.
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Hilling – Gradually mound soil or mulch around stems to allow tubers room to expand.
Be Patient
From 70 to 120 days, potatoes are fully grown and ready to be dug. Monitor plants for signs they are nearing harvest time:
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Foliage yellowing and dying back
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Blooms drying up
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Skins on exposed tubers looking thick and mature
Allow foliage to fully die down before carefully digging. Then let the potatoes dry out in a cool, dark place for the best storage.
Bottom Line
With extra care taken to select, prepare, and grow store bought spuds properly, you can absolutely save money and get a bountiful potato harvest from grocery store tubers. While not a sure bet, it’s a fun experiment in turning potential food waste into fresh homegrown food. With the right practices, you can beat the odds and grow great potatoes from those old sprouting spuds!
Preparing Your Potatoes (Image credit: tanyss / Getty Images)
- You don’t have to wash the potato to get rid of dirt, but it’s a good idea if you buy them in a store. This can remove any surface contaminants.
- Use a nice sharp, clean knife. Sharp cuts damage the tuber less. And a clean knife will avoid introducing pathogens. Bigger potatoes need to be cut up before planting. If the potato is very small, it can be planted whole.
- With at least one good eye, cut the potato into pieces.
- Lay out newspaper and lay out the pieces. Allow them to dry for 3 days. This will help keep the cut from rotting by making a callus over it.
Do potatoes need to sprout before planting?
Sweet potatoes need to sprout or develop slips before planting. For some types, it’s not necessary, but if you can get a sweet potato slip to sprout before you plant it, you will be one step ahead.
GROW POTATOES from STORE BOUGHT – Save Money, Grow Food
FAQ
Can I grow potatoes from store-bought potatoes?
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Possible, but with caveats:Store-bought potatoes can sprout and grow into plants. However, they may not be guaranteed disease-free, and they might have been treated with chemicals to prevent sprouting.
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Seed potatoes are preferred:Certified seed potatoes are specifically grown for planting and are tested to be disease-free.
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Planting store-bought potatoes:
- Choose well-sprouted potatoes: Look for potatoes with healthy, green sprouts.
- Cut into pieces: If the potato is large, cut it into pieces, ensuring each piece has at least one sprout.
- Plant appropriately: Plant the cut pieces in a container or directly in the ground, ensuring the sprouts face upwards.
- Pre-sprouting: You can pre-sprout the potatoes before planting by letting them sit in a cool, dark place for a few weeks.
- Choose well-sprouted potatoes: Look for potatoes with healthy, green sprouts.
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Considerations for store-bought potatoes:
- Disease risk: Store-bought potatoes may be more susceptible to diseases than seed potatoes.
- Sprout inhibitors: They may have been treated with chemicals to prevent sprouting, which can hinder growth.
- Longer storage: Store-bought potatoes may have been stored for a longer time, potentially affecting their viability.
- Disease risk: Store-bought potatoes may be more susceptible to diseases than seed potatoes.
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Organic options:If you’re looking for a more sustainable option, consider purchasing organic store-bought potatoes, as they are less likely to have been treated with sprout inhibitors.
Can regular potatoes be used as seed potatoes?
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Seed potatoes:These are specifically grown and tested to be free of diseases and viruses. They are also not treated with sprout inhibitors.
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These can be used as seed potatoes as well, but they may carry diseases or have been treated with sprout inhibitors.
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Disease and virus risk:Store-bought potatoes may be more prone to diseases and viruses, especially if they were exposed to pests during the growing season.
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Sprout inhibitors:Many store-bought potatoes are treated with sprout inhibitors to prevent them from sprouting while in storage, which can reduce the chances of them being successfully used as seed potatoes.
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Yield and quality:Using store-bought potatoes as seed potatoes may result in lower yields and potentially lower quality potatoes compared to seed potatoes, especially if they are infected with diseases or viruses.
Can I just throw potatoes in the ground?
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Why it works:Potatoes are actually tubers, which are underground stems that store food. When planted, they can sprout and grow into a new plant, producing new potatoes.
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Best Practices:
- Seed Potatoes: Ideally, use “seed potatoes,” which are specifically grown for planting and are usually disease-free.
- Cutting and Sprouting: If using larger potatoes, cut them into pieces with an eye on each. Allow the cut surfaces to dry for a few days before planting to prevent rot.
- Planting Depth and Spacing: Plant the potato pieces (or whole small potatoes) in a trench or hole about 5-6 inches deep. Space them 8-12 inches apart, depending on whether you are growing small baby potatoes or larger ones.
- Soil and Sunlight: Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.8-6.5) and plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours a day).
- “Hilling” (Optional): As the plants grow, you can “hill” them by adding more soil around the base of the stems to encourage the formation of more potatoes.
- Seed Potatoes: Ideally, use “seed potatoes,” which are specifically grown for planting and are usually disease-free.
What month do you plant potatoes?
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Timing is key:Potato planting timing depends on your location and the specific variety of potato you are planting.
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Early planting:First early potatoes can be planted from mid-March, while second earlies should be planted a couple of weeks later.
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Maincrop potatoes:Maincrop potatoes are usually planted in late April or early May.
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Late planting:If you have a greenhouse, it’s possible to plant a second batch of potatoes in late summer for a Christmas harvest.
Will store-bought potatoes grow?
You buy a bag of potatoes and before you can use them, they begin to sprout. Rather than throwing them out, you may be contemplating growing grocery store potatoes in the garden. Will store-bought potatoes grow though? The answer is yes. Here’s how to turn this pantry waste into an edible crop.
Can you grow store bought potatoes in pots?
The safest way to grow store bought potatoes is to grow them in pots or containers. By growing them in containers, you are able to easily throw out the soil and plant material if blight occurs. This will reduce the risk of potato blight and other diseases spreading through your garden soil.
Are store bought potatoes the same as seed potatoes?
Regular potatoes (store bought potatoes) are not the same as seed potatoes. While store-bought potatoes are grown to be eaten, they are not meant to be planted. However, they can be planted. You can get healthy plants from store bought potatoes. This container potato plant in a grew well last year!.