# Sprouting Potatoes



## debodun (Feb 29, 2020)

I haven't had these that long and they're sprouting. Are they still good to use? What made them do this that quickly?


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## Packerjohn (Feb 29, 2020)

They want to be planted & grow new shoots.  Sure, you can eat them.  I have for years & I'm not dead yet!   LOL


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## debodun (Feb 29, 2020)

It's spring, when an old potato wants to go to ground.


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 29, 2020)

If they were grown locally they have probably been in a climate-controlled cold storage since they were harvested and now that they have been exposed to warmer temperatures in the store and your home they think that it is spring.

Knock the sprouts off and use them.

Old potatoes make great scalloped potatoes.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Feb 29, 2020)

I eat them also. just cut it away. They get that way because the store hangs on to them for so long.  I notice Walmarts veggies tend to sprout or go bad quicker than my regular supermarket. 
In the springtime I always let some of mine sprout just for planting. Many times I eat the potato and save the little sprouts after peeling and of course before cooking. It doesn't take much for them to grow.


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## fmdog44 (Feb 29, 2020)

Those look like the things my dad told me would grow in my ears if I didn't wash them regularly.


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## Lakeland living (Feb 29, 2020)

I just used up potatoes like that, they are fine to eat. Even into the softer stage.


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## Kaila (Feb 29, 2020)

I don't like to eat them, after the sprouts have gotten as far as those have.

But I am very happy to learn you are all here, after having done so!  

It's far to early to plant them, so I would want to toss them into the wild, for the wildlife to chew on, and for them to decompose or grow....

This time of year, it has been months since they were harvested, so most varieties cannot be stored well for that long from harvested, and it's likely to happen.
  Therefore, by February,  it takes even less time exposed to warmth, (in store or home)
for them to sprout and then, grow quickly like vines grow!

Store them someplace cooler in your home, if you have a cooler spot, and buy fewer at a time,

OR, try to purchase a different variety of potato (or some other veggies instead) for a nice temporary change.

There are types that will hold up better, or potatoes grown more recently than the Northern ones, such as, one can buy California potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes, for a few months now...
and wait till Autumn, for good quality local Northern ones, again.


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## old medic (Mar 1, 2020)

Got several different varieties that look like that.... And there gonna taste great later this year...


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## rkunsaw (Mar 1, 2020)

Kaila said:


> It's far to early to plant them,


I planted mine two weeks ago and I was late.


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## Liberty (Mar 1, 2020)

debodun said:


> I haven't had these that long and they're sprouting. Are they still good to use? What made them do this that quickly?
> 
> View attachment 93526


Sure, just whack off the "eyes".  Putting them in a dark humid area causes rapid sprouting.


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## debodun (Sep 15, 2020)

They don't look so hot now - all the above ground growth has disappeared, but never having grown potatoes before, I don't know if that's part of the natural process. It has been very dry here. When are potatoes usually harvested?


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## Kaila (Sep 15, 2020)

Yes, that's part of the natural process, and you can carefully look in the soil now, for any potatoes.

Take care, not to cut or harm them with any sharp or hard digging tool.  Use gloved hands if the soil is soft enough.  Consider motion from outside the plnts, sideways toward the stems area, rather than digging straight down, which might hit them harder.


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## Gaer (Sep 15, 2020)

Yes, Cut the sprouts off and use them!
I always plant a potato every St. Patrick's Day for good luck all year long!  (even if there is a foot of snow)


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## Liberty (Sep 15, 2020)

In Texas, here...its easy to grow sweet potatoes.  Fun to go out in the winter and spade a couple up for dinner.


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## Aunt Marg (Sep 15, 2020)

debodun said:


> I haven't had these that long and they're sprouting. Are they still good to use? *What made them do this that quickly*?
> 
> View attachment 93526


A warm environment.


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## Liberty (Sep 16, 2020)

I don't have good luck with planting sweet potatoes that sprout and aren't organic.  Think the organic potatoes of all kinds are the best ones to plant.  Sprouting is normally caused by keeping in a warm dark room.  I try to keep my potatoes in more light to keep them from sprouting or to keep in the fridge.


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## Camper6 (Sep 16, 2020)

I found that if I store the potatoes in the refrigerator that's when they sprout.

Remember the old "potato bins".  No refrigeration.  Now I just buy a few potatoes at a time and use them right away.  I'm lucky.  I live within walking distance to a big grocery store.


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## debodun (Sep 16, 2020)

I heard that sweet potatoes are treated with something so they can't sprout.


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## Liberty (Sep 16, 2020)

debodun said:


> I heard that sweet potatoes are treated with something so they can't sprout.


Not if you buy the "organic" ones.  I've grown potatoes from the organic ones.  Just let them sprout and then cut in half and plant them.  I planted in the summer and had potatoes whenever wanted throughout the winter (we don't get much harsh cold  weather here, though...so you might want to plant them in pots and bring them inside with a grow light if you're wanting to do it within the next couple months.  It makes a pretty trailing vine so might also make a nice winter project, maybe, huh!  

 We grew green peppers inside all last winter, just to see if we could do it. Trying to decide what to grow this year...maybe herbs or something. Have a lot of herbs.


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## debodun (Sep 16, 2020)

I remember my mom sprouting sweet potatoes. She stuck toothpicks around the middle and suspended it over a glass of water. But that was long ago - probably before the practice of treating the taters was instituted.


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## Liberty (Sep 16, 2020)

debodun said:


> I remember my mom sprouting sweet potatoes. She stuck toothpicks around the middle and suspended it over a glass of water. But that was long ago - probably before the practice of treating the taters was instituted.


The only way I've ever harvested sweet potatoes from the sprouted organic ones is to cut them off, with a nice sprout or two in the individual cuts and planting them in the ground.  Now you've got me thinking about trying it inside this year...the vine is very pretty, maybe that's why your mom did it that way...or was it only for the food?


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## debodun (Sep 16, 2020)

I don't think she sprouted the potatoes for food. Just a pretty vine hat grew on ethe kitchen sink.


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## Liberty (Sep 16, 2020)

debodun said:


> I don't think she sprouted the potatoes for food. Just a pretty vine hat grew on ethe kitchen sink.


You would do it for food, though, too?


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## debodun (Sep 16, 2020)

No.


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## Liberty (Sep 17, 2020)

debodun said:


> No.


The only thing I sprouted them for was food...grabbed a trowel, went out in the back "yard" and dug up a couple all winter whenever we wanted sweet potatoes for dinner.


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## debodun (Sep 17, 2020)

In Texas in winter you can probably dig up potatoes with a hand trowel. In New York, you'd need a jackhammer.


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## Rosemarie (Sep 17, 2020)

So long as they are not green they are edible.


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## Liberty (Sep 17, 2020)

debodun said:


> In Texas in winter you can probably dig up potatoes with a hand trowel. In New York, you'd need a jackhammer.


You got that right.  You'd be best off to plant them in the spring, as soon as the ground warms up a bit!


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## Kaila (Oct 1, 2020)

Did you get any edible potatoes out of the ground, @debodun  ?


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## debodun (Oct 1, 2020)

I'll probably look this weekend, if it isn't raining.


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## StarSong (Oct 1, 2020)

Liberty said:


> In Texas, here...its easy to grow sweet potatoes.  Fun to go out in the winter and spade a couple up for dinner.


Do you grow gold or white?  I've never tried growing sweet potatoes - always figured it was too warm here.


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## StarSong (Oct 1, 2020)

debodun said:


> I remember my mom sprouting sweet potatoes. She stuck toothpicks around the middle and suspended it over a glass of water. But that was long ago - probably before the practice of treating the taters was instituted.


I remember my mother trying to grow an avocado tree that way.  Never even a hint of success.


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## debodun (Oct 1, 2020)

StarSong said:


> Do you grow gold or white?



White


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## Kaila (Oct 1, 2020)

@StarSong 
I have never lived in your climate, but I would guess and think that Sweet potatoes might grow well there, either as ornamental vines, with their lovely foliage, or for the eatable tubers.

They need a long warm growing season, *unlike* the regular types (not "sweet")
of potatoes that grow well in the chilly shorter growing seasons in the Northern USA areas.


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## StarSong (Oct 1, 2020)

Kaila said:


> @StarSong
> I have never lived in your climate, but I would guess and think that Sweet potatoes might grow well there, either as ornamental vines, with their lovely foliage, or for the eatable tubers.
> 
> They need a long warm growing season, *unlike* the regular types (not "sweet")
> of potatoes that grow well in the chilly shorter growing seasons in the Northern USA areas.


Thanks.  I'll look into growing the golden/orange variety.  I'm not a fan of white sweet potatoes.


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## debodun (Oct 5, 2020)

The harvest. I didn't expect much, but there are enough to make one serving of mashed. The largest is 3" long, most are large grape size, total of 1.5 pounds. My mom would call these "salt" potatoes.


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## Gary O' (Oct 5, 2020)

debodun said:


> I haven't had these that long and they're sprouting. Are they still good to use? What made them do this that quickly?


Maybe they're trying to make a break for it

(when one is put on ignore, one must play)


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## gennie (Oct 5, 2020)

Possibly the origin of term salt potatoes:

Pocket a dinner fork and salt shaker.  Sneak out to Grandma's garden and use the fork to gravel around under the potato vine and locate tiny potatoes.

Wipe soil off on jeans, salt liberally and eat.  Cover disturbed soil so Gma doesn't know or else it's h@ll to pay. "Who's been gravelling my salt potatoes?" Switch in hand for my skinny 10 year old legs.


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## debodun (Oct 5, 2020)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_potatoes


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 5, 2020)

debodun said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_potatoes


Still very popular!

One pound of fine salt to four pounds of small potatoes or you can pay a premium price for the salt and potatoes in one bag.


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## I'mnotdeadyet (Oct 5, 2020)

Sweet potatoes are actually a tropical plant, they prefer hot and long. I grow them here in MI with some planning. With potatoes, you can just plant a quarter of a 'tater in the ground. Sweet potatoes are better if you treat them like that old science project. Stick some toothpicks in and suspend it about 2/3 in water. Keep the water fresh. It will grow shoots. I usually start 2 sweet potatoes and will get at least a dozen good shoots off them, usually more. 

There are varieties better suited to shorter growing seasons, and you can buy the shoots for them from seed supply warehouses. When I start them from whole tubers it happens in the middle of February as it takes about 12 weeks to grow good shoots. I buy them from Whole Foods, because as someone previously mentioned, non-organic are sprayed to prevent sprouting. 

Because of my shorter growing season I plant them in 55 gallon drums cut in half and painted dark green to absorb the heat of the sun and keep the roots warm. I have harvested as much as 25 lbs. from 4 half barrels, each with 3 plants. They're a good root cellar crop and will keep until well into spring.

Once harvested they need to be properly cured to develop the sugars. You probably wouldn't like one fresh dug up, or if you do, you'd like them much better after curing. Curing also heals wounds from digging them up or breaking them off. It protects them from disease and rotting. You can put them in a warm humid spot for a few weeks, about 80-85 degrees and 85% humidity. I use a storage tub, some heat mats, and water. You can also let them cure in regular temps and humidity as long as there's air flow but it will take a lot longer.

I can tell you there is nothing like your own homegrown mashed sweet potatoes on your Thanksgiving table, the flavor far exceeds anything in the store without question. So much so that I told my wife if she wanted to candy some, used canned or store bought. The homegrown are for mashing, baking, and pies!


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## debodun (Oct 10, 2020)

What happened yesterday. They made 2 servings.


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## Kaila (Oct 10, 2020)

More flavor than any you've had from the store?


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## debodun (Oct 10, 2020)

I season them heavily, so it's difficult to tell. They were a lot more firm than store-bought taters.


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## Aneeda72 (Oct 10, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> Still very popular!
> 
> One pound of fine salt to four pounds of small potatoes or you can pay a premium price for the salt and potatoes in one bag.
> 
> View attachment 126287 View attachment 126288


Yup, bought some yesterday


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