Sprouting Potatoes
Sprouting Potatoes: Eat Them, Toss Them or Plant Them?
Deciding what to do with sprouting potatoes can be tough. On the one hand, you don’t want to waste them, but on the other hand, you don’t want to eat them either. One thing is for certain, potatoes with sprouts are not only unpleasant to look at, they are not the best thing to eat either. Luckily, potatoes that have grown “eyes” do not have to be a total loss.
There are basically 3 things that can be done with sprouting potatoes: eat them (after cleaning of course), toss them or plant them. One other option is to prevent the potatoes from growing sprouts to begin with. They say prevention is the best medicine, so the first step in preventing keeping potatoes fresh is to stop them from sprouting at all. This can be done by taking a few simple potato precautions.
Storing Potatoes
Sprouts are usually caused by moisture, so always make sure to store potatoes in a location that is dry and safe from humidity and wetness. It is generally suggested that potatoes be stored in a cool, dark location. Higher temperatures tend to encourage sprout growth on the potatoes, so it is best to store them someplace where it does not get too warm, preferably in temperatures around 50 degrees F. One other important item to consider when keeping potatoes over time is air circulation. If they are bunched together with no air flowing between them, the potatoes will likely grow sprouts at a faster rate.
Eating Sprouting Potatoes
It is safe to eat a potato that has begun to sprout, as long as the “eyes” have been completely removed along with any offending discolored or soft sections. Now, if the potato has become dried up, shriveled or squishy along with growing sprouts, it may be too far gone and cannot be salvaged for eating. In any case, you should generally not eat a potato with the sprouts still on it.
Planting Potatoes
One of the most productive things that can be done with a potato that has gone and sprouted eyes is to plant it. Although there are a few potato hybrids that cannot be used as seeds, most of the time a sprouted potato can be planted. In fact, potato growers actually use small potatoes to seed their own gardens.
In order to use a potato as seed, there must be at least one sprout on the potato. This is because the sprout is where the new potato plant will get its start. Some people cut the potato rather than planting it whole, but this is totally up to the planter. If you have one potato with several sprouts, you can cut it in pieces using each sprout for a new plant.
Once you get your piece of sprouted potato, plant it 1 or 2 inches in the dirt. If you are planting several potatoes, make sure to leave plenty of space between the plants and the rows. Generally, 1 foot between plants and rows is sufficient. When the potato plant is around 8-inches tall, create a small hill from the soil around the base of the plant. This prevents the new potatoes from popping through the surface before they are ready.
When the potato plant blossoms, that is usually an indicator of small potatoes beneath the soil that can be picked and eaten. Feel around beneath the soil’s surface to get an idea of the size of the new potato. It is generally best to pick them when they are small to medium in size, and they can be eaten right away.