# Seed potatoes



## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

They are now available at Walmart and my gut instinct was to buy about 10 bags. I currently have them inside paper grocery bags in a cool, dark room.
I can plant all 10 bags when the weather gets a little better (pretty soggyhere at the moment) and I would like to go get more to keep stocked up as a prep item.
How long can I store seed potatoes? They are something I want to keep stocked up on.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Here we can plant potatoes for a fall crop in July. They are small when you dig them in early Oct. Zone 6 here.
After that I have saved some of those to replant in the spring again.
I also plant parsnips cause i can save the seed on those easier than potatoes.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Can they be saved longer than 1 season though?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

They won't save for that long shan. They will first try to grow,then they will shrivel up. Plant them when the ground warms. Next spring plant the ones you have kept over from storage. I have been doing that sinse I moved to this house 7 years ago.


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

When did they start putting a 'P' in front of the word 'taters? <lol>

I have never used sees to start them, I always put them in a dark place, let the eyes grow and planted them. 

Ohio Rusty ><>

Being on earth is a free trip around the sun !


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks! I just hope I get a good enough crop to have some for next year.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Shan, they won't hold over for a year. Plant them out, save back some of this year's crop for next year's "seed" and keep going from there. 

Also, I would suggest that you bring the potatoes you intend to plant this year into a warm well lighted space to "chit" or sprout a little. The eyes will stay short then grow well once you plant them in your garden. In the dark and cold, the eyes will grow long and brittle and be harder to plant when the time does come. 

One of my cousins used to buy 50# of seed potatoes each spring, cut off the eyes with enough potato to make a good seed piece, then wash, peel, boil and freeze the remainder for the table. She allowed the seed pieces to callous over a little to reduce the chance of rotting or dust them with ag sulphur if she were planting immediately. 

Good luck.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Thank you so much!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I have indeed had potatoes last 18 months in the root cellar.
They weren't pretty, but they grew.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Shan, What kind of potatos are they.......? I plant "Yukon Gold". Yummy


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Last year we planted 50 pounds of La soda red...we ate potatoes nearly every day until October for 11 of us..harvested 250 lbs and saved the small ones for seed potatoes this yr... since we harvested in april/may they have been in my pantry in a potato box. They held up really well in my pantry and they are perfect for this years crop of reds. I will also plant Kennebec and Yukon along with the la soda reds..


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

We're a little more conservative with our potato management in that we use the _small_ ones up first, along with any damaged. That steadily cleans up the supply, leaving the biggest and best for next season's seed. We've found the big ones to keep the longest.


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Forerunner said:


> We're a little more conservative with our potato management in that we use the _small_ ones up first, along with any damaged. That steadily cleans up the supply, leaving the biggest and best for next season's seed. We've found the big ones to keep the longest.


Hmmm.. I hadn't thought of it like that.. I always eat the damaged ones of course first, but saved the little ones for seed...but just thinking about what you said, I see how much sense that makes...how helpful you always are..thank you


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Forerunner said:


> I have indeed had potatoes last 18 months in the root cellar.
> They weren't pretty, but *they grew*.


Good to know....that is what is important.
The reason I posted my question here in S&EP is because I want to grow/store potatoes as an ongoing prep, not just a yearly harvest. In other words, I used to buy them, plant them and then buy new seed potatoes the next year. I don't want to have to do that every year and rely on them being available at the store. I want to have my own seed potatoes from year to year.
Does that make sense???


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Makes so much sense I can't stand it, Shan. :thumb:

Another reason to use up the little ones first, or, rather THE reason....is that doing so open's up larger air spaces between the big ones, which is precisely what makes them last, all other conditions being equal.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Sourdough said:


> Shan, What kind of potatos are they.......? I plant "Yukon Gold". Yummy


Yes, Yukon Gold and a few other varieties. I bought 2 bags of every kind.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

Forerunner said:


> Makes so much sense I can't stand it, Shan. :thumb:
> 
> Another reason to use up the little ones first, or, rather THE reason....is that doing so open's up larger air spaces between the big ones, which is precisely what makes them last, all other conditions being equal.


Plus, when saving "seed" you want to save the best in order to make next years crop better.
Saving "seed" that isn't the best decreases the quality of your crops year after year.


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

My seed taters were shipped today from potato garden.com I grow yukon gold, purple majesty and plain old white ones. I can get the white ones from my local co op but have to order the others. I plant about 50lbs of taters each year. We plant on Valentines day here, if it is dry enough. If it is too wet we wait till the first dry day after Valentines day.


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## wagvan (Jan 29, 2011)

Do potatoes require a lot of sun? I was thinking about planting them by the back fence behind the fruit trees (We are on a small town lot) but I think it is kinda shady because of the fruit trees and fence. But it is a good out of the way place for them. Any tips for a new potato grower?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Full sun for taters.
Rich, well-drained soil..... no uncomposted manures, though--taters hate that.
No overt liming or wood ashes where the taters will be. They prefer acid, and a sprinkle of sulfur generally does them good.

Cure them _very_ well in a coolish, dry place, out of the sun, before storing them for the winter.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

What Forerunner said.

Potatoes have attractive leaves and the flowers are small, white or pink/purplish with yellow centers. If you have a spot that is sunnier where you normally grow annual flowers, put potatoes there instead. Your neighbors may never know the difference between a food crop and an ornamental flower.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

One thing that has worked for me is planting them in tires- I like huge tractor tires, but regular tires have worked well, too..
I have also planted them in the plastic koi ponds. Potatoes seem to like the heat generated by the black tires and ponds.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

ya,know I've been getting Bunny food (50lbs.)and noticed chicken feed also,it comes in woven plastic Tyveck sort of bags. I was thinking these would be good for growing potatoes in. Fold them down little more than half way,put soil in and a potato "seed". Then as it grows , pull the bag up abit and add more soil ,a couple of times.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Cool ideas.  I wonder how many tires and Bunny food bags it would take me to set out my 3-400 pounds of seed taters this spring. :bouncy:




Sorry. I really couldn't resist that one.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Forerunner said:


> Cool ideas.  I wonder how many tires and Bunny food bags it would take me to set out my 3-400 pounds of seed taters this spring. :bouncy:
> Sorry. I really couldn't resist that one.


Overachiever!!!!

*hides behind desk giggling!!!*


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Oh, not really...... just a passel of hungry boys come wintertime. :thumb:


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

That leads me to my next question....are all of your potatoes just for human consumption? If not, what animals do you feed them to? 
And.....do you have any extra sweet potato slips you want to sell for a reasonable price???


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

We don't especially feed potatoes to the critters except as table scraps.
I suppose we could if need be, but there's never been a shortage of other stuff....yet.

As for sweet tater slips, it's perfect timing for setting up your own tater to make starts.
If you one a couple, just pm me an address.


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

I planted Red LaSoda, some brand X russets, and some pinkish-red fingerling potatoes yesterday. I don't know how many lbs total because I didn't weigh them but I think it was probably about 100 lb, more or less. They should be enough to last us most of the year with plenty to take to my parents.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Forerunner said:


> If you one a couple, just pm me an address.


Or.....you could be a kind soul and tell all of us folks here how to grow slips the way you do it. (hint, hint)
I have tried, but I must have done something wrong. :awh:
A new lesson wouldn't hurt!!!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Hmmm...... I DID post extensively on that, with pics, in the garden forum a couple years ago, but we could do another. Give me some time to get some stuff together and I'll start a survival seed sweet tater thread. :shrug:


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! I appreciate you....as do many others.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Did you find it, already ? :shrug:


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Forerunners advice on sweet potaotes was really good...I grew so many sweet potatoes last season that I honestly was overun with them..a good thing for a girl who adores them!


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Forerunner said:


> Did you find it, already ? :shrug:


Yes...thanks again!
Lame question....I prefer yams so I would like to grow more yams than sweet potatoes. Is the process the same?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I dare say..........


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