I'm gonna plant them again this year. I've had problems in years past with the seed potatoes rotting in the ground instead of growing. I've heard this can be prevented by treating or dusting the seed taters with something first, I've heard that wood ashes or sulfur will work. Any other ideas?
A tip from an old gardening book is: If you cut the seed potatoes two or three days before you plant them, they will dry enough to form a sort of skin or scab before too much sprouting occurs. This will help prevent the potato piece from rotting in too-moist soil. -aem
Besides waiting for the cuts to skin over, dusting with any water repellant substance helps. If it has anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties, so much the better. Sulfur and talc powders are easy to get and water repellant. Sulfur has some antibiotic properties as does cinnamon. Wood ashes is basically like putting lime on them. Not water repellant; antibiotic but a little strong; adds calcium to the soil. Basically skinning over should be enough. But to be sure, especially if you've had bad luck in the past, any of the others used before planting should help. Gary
Normal procedure in UK is not to cut them as this can introduce infection and increase the likelihood of them rotting. I'm also assuming that you do chit them, ie, put them in boxes in the light to sprout before planting out?
I don't see a reason these practises shouldn't help in the U.S. which I assume is where you are.
(All right, I confess I've cut a couple in the past when I was a few short for a full row.) :-))
Steve
Hi All, I have cut potoes to make up a row when I have been short, with no ill effect. Hope this helps you.
Richard M. Watkin.
Hmm. Here in the US the gardeners and garden books all seem to recommend cutting them with at least 2 or 3 "eyes" on each piece. That way I guess you save some money...
Never chited them, but I will this time. How long should they be sprouted before setting them out?
Well a lot depends on your planting schedule. Here, seed potatoes are generally available from early Feb, and usually planted out around mid-late March according to frost predictions, (weather is always a bit of a lottery in UK), but mine generally spend about 6 weeks in boxes on windowsills. Sprouts don't get very long, maybe an inch, but the point is if they're already sprouted when you plant them they can't fail to sprout. The tips need to be protected against frost though, when they're showing and a frost is forecast, cover them with soil. They'll come through again.
HTH, Steve
Are you planting too early, when your soil is still too wet and cold?
BTW, I always cut my seed spuds, so each piece has 3 eyes or so, then let them sit for a few days to callus-over, then plant.
Be sure to rotate your spud bed -- don't grow them in the same ground every year. And don't plant them following tomatoes in the same bed. (Spuds and 'maters are related, so they're prone to the same diseases.)
Jan, in Alaska USDA Zone 3 or so
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