Hey there, fellow gardener! I'm excited to share with you how to make your own seed potatoes from store-bought ones. It's a fun and rewarding process that I've done many times in my own garden. Let me walk you through it step-by-step!
Choose the right potatoes! First things first, pick organic potatoes if possible. They're
less likely to have been treated with sprout inhibitors. I've had great success with Red Potatoes, Purple Majesty and Yukon Golds, but you can try other varieties too!
Check for eyes. Look for potatoes with plenty of "eyes" - those little indentations where sprouts will grow. The more eyes, the better!
Prepare for sprouting. Place your potatoes in a cool, dim place, (not completely dark), they will need some indirect light. Place in a cardboard box either on crumpled newspaper, or I like to use egg cartons to keep them stable and up off the box floor to allow air flow.
Wait patiently. This is the hard part - waiting! It usually takes 2-3 weeks for sprouts to appear. I check on mine every few days, and I swear, watching those little shoots emerge is like magic every time!
Don’t forget the Borax! After the eyes have grown, and before you cut and divide them, soak in a solution of 1/3 cup borax mixed in 1/2 gallon water for
ten minutes. This will kill any fungus or black rot that may be on the skin before planting.
(*Side notes: after soaking, remove potatoes and pour the left over Borax solution in your laundry or dishwasher to clean.)
Also, a solution of 1/2 teaspoon borax to a gallon of water (per 2 square feet soil) is a
great fertilizer for the garden, including these potatoes.
Cut into sections. Once the eyes have sprouted about 1/4 inch long, it's time to cut.
Slice the potato into sections, making sure each piece has at least one good sprout and weighs about 2 ounces.
Let them cure. After cutting, let the pieces dry for a few days. They will form a leathery skin over the cut side.. This helps prevent rotting when you plant them. I spread mine out on a tray lined with newspaper.
Plant your seed potatoes! Plant them about 4 inches deep, with the sprouts pointing up.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate Potatoes
It is important to know what variety you are planting whether it is determinate or indeterminate. All the potatoes I grew over the last few years from the grocery store bought bags were determinate. They grew relatively fast and I have been keeping back a few everytime I harvest so I can replant another crop. In other words, I have been my own seed potato supplier!
Determinate Potatoes grow in one layer, and don't need repeated mounding. Matures in 70-90 days. These are super easy and require little attention. The variety I like are Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold, Russian Banana, and Purple Majesty. I grow them in large grow bags. The Purple Majesty I purchased in 2020 off the discount rack at a local grocery store, they weren't even organic, and they still sprouted!
I still have the best luck with saving and replanting them year after year.
Indeterminate Potatoes are slow growers, but give you much higher yields. They are perfect for growing in buckets or grow bags since you mound up soil over the leaves. When doing this method, you will need to mound with soil every time they grow up 6 inches. Leave two inches exposed and mound up again when it grows up to another six inches. You will be producing layer upon layer of wonderful potatoes! Russet Potatoes are indeterminate, and you can easily find an organic version in the grocery store.
Whether growing indeterminate or determinate, with all potatoes you need to keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. You know potatoes are ready to harvest after plant blossoms have browned and stalks die back.
I want to encourage you - regardless if you have a bit of garden space, or not, you can grow your own potatoes! There's nothing quite like digging up your own spuds. It's like a treasure hunt in your backyard! You don't need ANY garden space to grow potatoes - you can always place in grow bags, or large containers and place on your sunny porch or deck.
I love growing both types! Determinate potatoes are great for smaller spaces or if you want a quick harvest. Indeterminate varieties are perfect if you want a continuous supply throughout the season. One year, I grew 'Yukon Gold' (determinate) and 'Russet Burbank' (indeterminate) side by side, and it was amazing to see the difference in growth patterns!
Remember, whichever type you choose, make sure they get full sun and well-draining soil. And don't forget to rotate your potato crop each year to prevent soil-borne diseases. Trust me, your future potato harvests will thank you!
One last tip from my years of potato-growing adventures: keep your potato patch well-watered but not waterlogged. These little guys love consistent moisture.
Happy planting, and may your potato harvest be bountiful! If you give this a try, I'd love to hear how it goes.
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