Tuesday, February 19, 2013

What to look for in Seed Potatoes & How to store Them


Healthy seed potato

Q:  Which potato should you choose to start your potato crop with - special seed potatoes or grocery store potatoes.

A:  Potatoes are best grown using specially grown seed potatoes. The most important reason to use seed potatoes is that they have not had an inhibitor applied to them.

That isn't to say you can't use potatoes from the grocery store. However, they usually have had an inhibitor applied to stop them sending out their “chits” (growing shoots).

Grocery store potato - notice the
 purple/black eyes.These are not healthy.

Because of the inhibitor applied, grocery store potatoes frequently have unhealthy looking eyes. As well, the inhibitor causes growth to be stunted and production is reduced by 50 to 100%.
Use 4 inch pots with crumpled paper
 in the bottom to store seed potatoes
















Use an egg carton to store seed potatoes






Once you have purchased your seed potatoes, you need to store them so they don't get moldy.

Putting them in a bag in the dark is not the way to go. You want air around each potato so they don't touch and become moldy.

Put each potato in its own "room" so there is air around each potato and the eyes don't get squashed.

Be sure and put them rose end up (blunt end with the most eyes).

Two easy (and cheap) ways of storing the seed potatoes - use an egg carton or 4" pots that plants came in.


  Pictures and information provided by Mike


 

1 comment:

Pack-rat said...

Love these potato posts. I can't wait to try this.