Can you grow a sprouted potato?

The eyes on a potato are buds. When they sprout, the tuber makes the beginning of a new plant visible on a kitchen shelf. Growing a dependable crop starts a little earlier, with the choice of tuber that will go into the ground.

Start with seed potatoes

Seed potatoes are tubers grown for planting, rather than packets of botanical seed. University of Minnesota Extension recommends certified seed potatoes because grocery potatoes may carry disease or have been treated to inhibit sprouting. [1]

For a dependable crop, choose suitable seed potatoes from a reputable supplier. If you experiment with a kitchen potato, keep the trial small and separate from established potato beds.

Give the shoots a good start

Chitting means allowing short shoots to develop before planting. RHS guidance recommends a cool, bright, frost-free place for this stage. [2]

Choose a sunny bed or a container with drainage. Plant with the shoots facing upwards, handle them gently and cover with soil. Keep the growing medium moist without leaving it saturated. As the plants grow, build soil around the stems so developing tubers stay covered. [1, 2]

Follow your supplier’s advice and local guidance for planting depth, spacing and season. British and Minnesota planting calendars need adjusting for North Indian conditions.

Follow the experiment

A small trial is easier to understand when the tuber source and planting date are known. Photographs of the first shoots and later leaves show its progress; watering, setbacks and the eventual harvest explain more of the growing conditions.

This is a growing guide, not a completed trial from our farm. We will share a separate account when there is a potato experiment to follow.

Keep potatoes out of the light

Store harvested potatoes away from light to help prevent greening. Do not eat green or badly sprouted potatoes, and do not taste a questionable tuber to test whether it is safe. [1]