The foot-long sprouts of the forgotten seed potatoes reach from under the potting bench, like pale, writhing tentacles of some alien life force crying out for your help. It's not too late -- you can save the sprouted potatoes by planting them in your garden. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are native to South America, cultivated by the Native Americans and transported to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. Grown as an annual in gardens around the world, the potato prefers mild temperatures, between 45 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it an ideal crop for spring and fall gardens.
Cut large, sprouted potatoes into chunks with two or three eyes each, using a sharp knife, being careful to not break the long sprouts. Place the potato chunks on a tray or cookie sheet, and set them in a cool, dark location overnight so the cut ends can dry out. Small potatoes can be planted whole.
Prepare the garden bed by digging in 2 to 3 inches of well-decomposed compost with a shovel. Once the compost is dug in to a depth of 6 to 12 inches, rake the loose soil into a long, 4-inch-deep trench.
Lay the potatoes in the trench, 24 inches apart. Place the potatoes with the sprouts extending at an angle so that the tip of the sprout is above the soil's surface. Carefully add soil under the sprout to support its entire length.
Cover the entire potato and all but the tip of the sprout gently with soil, compost, mulch or leaves. Don't tamp the soil; you might damage the sprout.
Water the potatoes thoroughly. Continue watering regularly when the soil is dry to the touch. Add a 4-inch layer of mulch around the plants, pulling it back at least 4 inches from the sprouting potato vines. Mulch keeps the soil cool while maintaining a consistent moisture level.
Add more soil around and over the vines as the sprouts grow. Continue, keeping all except the last two sets of leaves covered, until at least 2 feet of vines are covered by soil. New roots and baby potatoes will develop along the buried stems and leaves.
Fertilize each plant with 2 tablespoons of a 5-10-10 slow-release fertilizer or 1 tablespoon of a 5-10-10 liquid fertilizer mixed with 1 gallon of water. Always fertilize after watering so that the salts in the fertilizer don't burn the potato plant's tender roots.
Monitor the potato plants for pests such as aphids, whiteflies, mice and gophers. Use a strong stream of water to knock off aphids and whiteflies. Generally pesticides are unnecessary in the home garden. Mice and gophers are controlled by traps placed among the plants or in their burrows. Bait mouse traps with peanut butter or dog food.
Things You Will Need
- Sharp knife
- Tray or cookie sheet
- 5-10-10 slow release or liquid fertilizer
- Measuring spoon (optional)
- Bucket (optional)
- Gopher traps
- Mouse traps
- Peanut butter
- Dog food
- Potatoes can also grow in stacked tires, potato towers or garbage bags.
- A weekly application of compost tea can be used instead of fertilizer. Soak a shovelful of compost in a 5-gallon bucket of water for 24 to 48 hours, then pour the water around the potato plants.
- A cat or small terrier is often effective in rodent control, although the terrier might dig in the garden and disturb your potatoes.
- Keep all tools and fertilizer out of reach of children and pets.
- When brewing compost tea, keep the bucket in a safe location, away from children. A child can drown in a bucket of water.
- If using traps, keep children and pets away from the garden.
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