How To Plant Potatoes From A Potato: Your Complete Guide

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Have you ever reached into your pantry for a potato, only to find it has started growing strange, knobby little sprouts? It’s a common sight in kitchens everywhere. Your first instinct might be to toss it, but as a fellow gardener, I’m here to tell you to pause!

That sprouted spud isn’t waste—it’s an opportunity. I promise that with a little know-how, you can transform that forgotten potato into a thriving plant that yields a delicious, rewarding harvest. Don’t worry, this is one of the most satisfying projects for any gardener, and it’s perfect for beginners!

In this complete guide, we’ll dig into everything you need to know about how to plant potatoes from a potato. We’ll cover choosing the right spuds, preparing them for planting, the step-by-step planting process, and how to care for your crop right up to that exciting harvest day. Let’s get our hands dirty!

The Surprising Benefits of Planting Potatoes from a Potato

Beyond the simple magic of watching something grow, there are some fantastic reasons to try this project. It’s more than just a fun experiment; it’s a practical and rewarding endeavor.

One of the biggest advantages is how incredibly cost-effective it is. You’re essentially creating a whole new food source from something you already have. This is a perfect example of sustainable how to plant potatoes from a potato practices in your own backyard, reducing food waste and connecting you directly to your food source.

Here are just a few of the benefits of how to plant potatoes from a potato:

  • Incredibly Easy for Beginners: Potatoes are resilient and eager to grow. They don’t require complex care, making them a perfect confidence-booster for new gardeners.
  • Reduces Kitchen Waste: Giving a sprouted potato a new life is a fantastic, eco-friendly how to plant potatoes from a potato method. You’re turning potential compost into a future meal.
  • Delicious Results: Honestly, nothing compares to the creamy, earthy flavor of a potato you’ve just pulled from the soil. They taste worlds better than anything from a store.
  • Educational Fun: If you have kids or grandkids, this is a wonderful project to do together. It teaches them exactly where their food comes from in a hands-on, memorable way.

Choosing Your Spuds: Seed Potatoes vs. Store-Bought

Before you grab that sprouted potato from the pantry, let’s talk about the two main options you have. This is a crucial step for setting yourself up for success.

Using Certified Seed Potatoes

For the most reliable results, I always recommend starting with certified seed potatoes. You can find these at any garden center or nursery in the spring.

These aren’t seeds in the traditional sense; they are simply small potatoes grown specifically for planting. The “certified” part is key—it means they have been inspected and are guaranteed to be free of diseases that can ruin your crop. They are bred for vigorous growth and high yields.

Can You Use Potatoes from the Grocery Store?

The short answer is yes, you can, but with a few important caveats. This is often where gardeners start, and it’s how many of us learn the basics of how to how to plant potatoes from a potato!

However, store-bought potatoes are often treated with a sprout inhibitor to give them a longer shelf life. This chemical can slow down or prevent sprouting altogether. Furthermore, they aren’t certified disease-free, so you run a small risk of introducing potato blight or other soil-borne diseases into your garden.

Pro Tip: If you want to use store-bought potatoes, opt for organic ones. They are less likely to be treated with sprout inhibitors and will sprout much more readily.

The Essential First Step: Chitting Your Potatoes

Alright, you’ve got your potatoes. Now for a fun little step that gives your spuds a head start: chitting (pronounced “chit-ing”). It sounds fancy, but it’s incredibly simple.

Chitting is just the process of encouraging your potatoes to sprout before you plant them. This pre-sprouting helps them establish faster in the soil and can lead to an earlier and bigger harvest. It’s one of the most important how to plant potatoes from a potato tips I can share.

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Here’s how to do it:

  1. Place your seed potatoes in a single layer in an open-topped cardboard box or an old egg carton.
  2. Make sure the “eyes” of the potato (the little dimples where sprouts form) are facing upward.
  3. Set the container in a cool, bright spot that’s out of direct sunlight, like a windowsill in a cool room or a frost-free garage.
  4. Leave them for a few weeks. You’ll soon see sturdy, short, dark green or purple sprouts emerge. You’re looking for sprouts about an inch long. Long, pale white sprouts mean they need more light!

Your Complete How to Plant Potatoes from a Potato Guide

Once your potatoes have developed those beautiful, sturdy sprouts, it’s time to get them in the ground! The best time to plant is typically two to four weeks after your last frost date, once the soil has warmed up to at least 45°F (7°C).

Step 1: Prepare Your Seed Potatoes

If your seed potatoes are small (about the size of a golf ball), you can plant them whole. For larger potatoes, it’s best to cut them into pieces.

Make sure each piece is roughly 2 inches square and has at least two or three healthy “eyes” or sprouts on it. After cutting, let the pieces sit out on a counter for a day or two. This allows the cut surfaces to dry and form a “skin,” which helps prevent them from rotting in the soil.

Step 2: Choose and Prepare Your Planting Site

Potatoes aren’t too fussy, but they do have a few preferences. Following these how to plant potatoes from a potato best practices will make a huge difference.

  • Sunlight: Choose a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of full sun per day.
  • Soil: They need loose, well-draining soil. If you have heavy clay, amend it with plenty of compost to lighten it up. A slightly acidic soil (pH of 5.8 to 6.5) is ideal.
  • Location: Avoid planting potatoes where you’ve grown tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers in the last year, as they are all in the same family and can share diseases.

Prepare the soil by digging it over to a depth of about 12 inches, removing any rocks or weeds, and mixing in a generous amount of aged compost or well-rotted manure.

Step 3: Time to Plant!

There are several ways to plant potatoes, but the trench method is the most common and reliable.

  1. Dig a Trench: Create a trench that is about 4-6 inches deep. If you’re planting multiple rows, space the trenches about 3 feet apart to give yourself room to walk and work.
  2. Place the Potatoes: Place your seed potato pieces in the trench with the sprouts or “eyes” pointing up. Space them about 12 inches apart.
  3. Cover Them Up: Gently cover the potato pieces with about 3-4 inches of soil. Don’t fill the trench completely just yet!

A Simple How to Plant Potatoes from a Potato Care Guide

Your potatoes are in the ground—congratulations! Now comes the easy part: watching them grow. The care is minimal, but a few key tasks will ensure a fantastic harvest.

Watering Your Potato Plants

Potatoes need consistent moisture, especially when the plants are flowering, as this is when the tubers (the potatoes) are actively forming. Aim for about 1-2 inches of water per week, including rainfall.

Water deeply at the base of the plant and try to keep the leaves dry to help prevent fungal diseases. Inconsistent watering can lead to hollow or cracked potatoes.

The Magic of “Hilling”

This is the most important part of potato care! As your potato plants grow to be about 8 inches tall, you’ll need to “hill” them. This means mounding soil, compost, or straw up around the base of the plant, covering the lower half of the stem.

Why is this so critical? Potatoes (the tubers) form along the underground stem. If they are exposed to sunlight, they will turn green and produce a toxic substance called solanine. Hilling keeps the developing tubers in the dark, safe, and happy. You’ll need to repeat the hilling process 2-3 times throughout the growing season as the plants get taller.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with Planting Potatoes

Even with the best care, you might run into a few bumps along the road. Don’t worry! Here are some solutions to the most common problems with how to plant potatoes from a potato.

  • Problem: My potato pieces rotted in the ground.
    Solution: This is often caused by overly wet, cold soil. Make sure your soil is well-draining and wait until it has warmed up sufficiently before planting. Also, remember to “cure” your cut pieces for a day or two before planting to let them form a protective skin.
  • Problem: The leaves on my plants have yellow and brown spots.
    Solution: This could be a sign of blight, a common fungal disease. To prevent it, ensure good air circulation by spacing plants properly and water at the soil level, not on the leaves. Remove and destroy any affected leaves immediately.
  • Problem: I see yellow-and-black striped beetles on my plants.
    Solution: Ah, the dreaded Colorado potato beetle! The best defense is to check your plants regularly and hand-pick the adults, larvae, and orange egg clusters from the undersides of leaves.
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Harvest Time! How to Know When and How to Dig for Gold

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! The signs that your potatoes are ready for harvest depend on what you want.

For small, tender “new potatoes,” you can carefully dig around the base of the plant about 2-3 weeks after the plants have finished flowering. Just take what you need for a meal and leave the rest of the plant to continue growing larger tubers.

For full-sized “storage” potatoes, wait until the foliage on the top of the plant has turned yellow and died back completely. This is a signal that the plant has put all its energy into the tubers. After the tops die back, leave the potatoes in the ground for another two weeks to allow their skins to thicken, which helps them store longer.

To harvest, gently use a garden fork or your hands to dig up the potatoes. Start digging about a foot away from the plant’s center to avoid accidentally spearing your beautiful spuds!

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Plant Potatoes from a Potato

What part of the potato do you plant?

You plant a piece of the potato tuber itself that has at least two “eyes” or sprouts on it. These eyes are the growth nodes from which the new plant will emerge.

How many potatoes do you get from one potato plant?

This can vary widely based on the potato variety and growing conditions, but a healthy plant will typically yield between 5 and 10 potatoes. Planting one seed potato can easily result in a pound or more of harvested spuds!

Do I need to fertilize my potato plants?

If you start with soil rich in compost, you may not need additional fertilizer. However, potatoes are heavy feeders. You can side-dress the plants with a balanced organic fertilizer or more compost when you “hill” them to give them an extra boost.

Can I grow potatoes in a container or grow bag?

Absolutely! Growing potatoes in containers is a fantastic option for those with limited space. Use a large container (at least 5 gallons) with drainage holes. The process is the same: plant your seed potato at the bottom and continue to add more soil (hilling) as the plant grows.

Go Forth and Grow Your Own Spuds!

There you have it—everything you need to confidently turn a simple spud into a delicious harvest. Learning how to plant potatoes from a potato is more than just a gardening task; it’s a lesson in resourcefulness, a connection to your food, and a truly rewarding experience.

Remember that every gardener makes mistakes, and every season is a chance to learn. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best in your garden. Now, go check that pantry, find a sprouted potato, and get ready to enjoy the incredible taste of homegrown success.

Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
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