Need Gardening Advice - Seed Potato Question

[Jupiter13]

Our family is trying to grow a lot of our own food this year and we are fairly new to extensive gardening. Harmony is out of seed potatoes and I am wondering if anyone knows where else we might get organic ones (looking primarily for red varieties) or can we just plant regular potatoes? What is the advantage of seed potatoes? Aren't most non-organic potatoes genetically altered these days? That's why I'm looking for organic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

[shellebelle]

I have had good luck with grocery store potatoes growing. I place them in a USPS little box then let it fall apart which happens just about the time I am ready to dig them up! I have tried both organic and just what evers and had good luck with them all.

So buy a couple of organic potatoes at Whole Foods and let them sprout on your counter. Cut off the eyes with just a tad of potato attached and plant away!


Our family is trying to grow a lot of our own food this year and we are fairly new to extensive gardening. Harmony is out of seed potatoes and I am wondering if anyone knows where else we might get organic ones (looking primarily for red varieties) or can we just plant regular potatoes? What is the advantage of seed potatoes? Aren't most non-organic potatoes genetically altered these days? That's why I'm looking for organic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

[Conly]

Do as Shelley sugested but cover with straw. Like a thin layer of rich compost, place seed potatoes and cover with straw. Water lightly. I've had good results.


Our family is trying to grow a lot of our own food this year and we are fairly new to extensive gardening. Harmony is out of seed potatoes and I am wondering if anyone knows where else we might get organic ones (looking primarily for red varieties) or can we just plant regular potatoes? What is the advantage of seed potatoes? Aren't most non-organic potatoes genetically altered these days? That's why I'm looking for organic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

[Braggi]

Try fingerling potatoes and some of the purple or blue ones. Kids love them and they taste so good when they're freshly dug up. Store bought can't compare.

Any potato that starts to sprout in your cupboard will grow.

Maybe I'll plant some today. Thanks for the inspiration.

-Jeff

PS. "Sun chokes, AKA Jerusalem Artichokes (that are neither from Jerusalem nor are they artichokes) are interesting potato substitutes and they grow well here. Plant now and harvest in late fall. Makes a fabulous soup.

[shellebelle]

I love the purple blue ones and and also the little reds! My son will eat them raw once in a while he's so excited to get them!


Try fingerling potatoes and some of the purple or blue ones. Kids love them and they taste so good when they're freshly dug up. Store bought can't compare.

Any potato that starts to sprout in your cupboard will grow.

Maybe I'll plant some today. Thanks for the inspiration.

-Jeff

PS. "Sun chokes, AKA Jerusalem Artichokes (that are neither from Jerusalem nor are they artichokes) are interesting potato substitutes and they grow well here. Plant now and harvest in late fall. Makes a fabulous soup.

[neil]

Hi Jupiter13,

Great that your family is growing more of its own food! You can buy organic potatoes in the grocery store and use them for seed. If you try to use conventionally-grown potatoes from the store, they may be treated with an anti-sprouting agent, which would defeat your purpose of growing new plants from them. It should be easy to find organically-grown red varieties.

Try to find more mature potatoes, not the young baby ones. If they are too young, the eyes will not be as developed, and not ready to grow new plants. It's actually better if they are old and beginning to sprout, that way you know you have what you need. You might ask and see if they maybe have some old ones around that they aren't selling because they are starting to sprout.

Once you get them home, and your planting area is ready, you can cut the bigger potatoes into two or more pieces, each at least 2 ounces (about golf ball-size. Cut them and let them sit out in the open air for a day or two, (in the shade--not in the sun) before planting. This lets the cut surfaces dry out a little and makes them less prone to rotting when you plant them. You don't have to cut the potatoes before planting, but if they are big you get more production if you do cut them because your seed goes further.

"Seed potatoes" are regular potatoes, only they have not been treated with anti-sprouting agents, and they may have been sorted for size or other criteria. Also, "seed potatoes" in order to be legally sold as certified, need to be inspected for disease organisms. But otherwise they are regular potatoes, as far as I know.

To my knowledge, conventionally-grown potatoes being sold today are not genetically engineered, but they may be heavily sprayed with pesticides. In your case, you definitely should get organic potatoes.

Good Luck! Neil




Our family is trying to grow a lot of our own food this year and we are fairly new to extensive gardening. Harmony is out of seed potatoes and I am wondering if anyone knows where else we might get organic ones (looking primarily for red varieties) or can we just plant regular potatoes? What is the advantage of seed potatoes? Aren't most non-organic potatoes genetically altered these days? That's why I'm looking for organic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

[Deborah1]

Oh Tommy Boy, in Bloomfield, had seed potatoes for sale earlier this year. Don't know if they have any left. I think they had a pretty good selection.

https://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=53&surveynumber=235


Our family is trying to grow a lot of our own food this year and we are fairly new to extensive gardening. Harmony is out of seed potatoes and I am wondering if anyone knows where else we might get organic ones (looking primarily for red varieties) or can we just plant regular potatoes? What is the advantage of seed potatoes? Aren't most non-organic potatoes genetically altered these days? That's why I'm looking for organic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!