You can grow potatoes in a container and make your gardening convenient by even using a small space. Planting sprouted potatoes are such a simple process that you and your whole family will enjoy this process.
The Scientific Name Of Potatoes
Potatoes belong to the kingdom of Plantae, which belongs to the nightshade. They are in a family called Solanaceae, and the scientific name for potatoes is Solanum tuberosum.
Most Commonly Used Type Of Potato:
The most common type of potato that grows in the US is russet potatoes. It has rough, brown-grey skin. Fingerling potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, and sweet potatoes are also commonly grown potatoes.
What are sprouted potatoes?
Sprouted potatoes are potatoes that have small bumps on the upper layer. These sprouted potatoes are not spoiled. They are safe to eat.
The only aspect you have to follow is just peeling the sprouts before eating. Eviction of sprouts is important because they contain toxic glycoalkaloids and solanine.
Why do potatoes have sprouts?
Whenever you see a sprout on a potato, it means that this plant is attempting to establish a new plant. They are just waiting for someone like you to sow them into the soil and give them a chance to grow properly.
Can We Plant Sprouted Potatoes In Containers?
Yes, you can use a sprouted potato to cultivate more potatoes.
If you follow the right steps, you can grow many new bundles of potatoes from a single sprouted plant.
How do Potatoes grow?
Potatoes have special cells in their sprouts or buds that enable them to change into stems or roots. Some nutrients and starches are naturally present in potatoes, which also helps them to grow from buds.
Growing Season For Potatoes
Spring through summer is the best season to plant potatoes. But it also depends on the area where you are planting your plants. Cooler places are the best option. This plant needs at least 6 to 7 hours of sunlight on a single day.
Too hot of a temperature is not good for this plant. The temperature of your soil should be less than 80°F if you want to grow potatoes.
Which type of potato can you grow from sprouted potatoes?
You can grow any type of sprouted potato like sweet potatoes, white potatoes, or yellow potatoes, but don’t plant the full sprouted potato into the soil. Before planting sprouted potatoes, you need to make some preparations to get a greater yield and results.
Steps to follow while planting
The following are some steps to take before planting sprouted potatoes.
Well drained dirt
Use the soil that drains well. Soggy soil is not good for their growth. Add compost and manure to poorly drained soil to maintain its level.
Adjust soil pH.
Check the pH of the soil by using a good-quality pH meter.
A pH of 4 to 5.6 will be suitable for this plant.
Tip:
If the soil pH is higher, then using sulfur will decrease the pH and make the soil available for you to grow plants.
If the soil pH is low, then add soil amendments as per need. Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are the standard nutrients for any plant to grow.
Mounding the soil
Mounding the soil is the most important and the first step when planting potato plants. The reason is that potatoes grow best underneath the soil.
Roots and potatoes will all grow underground, so create a vaster mound of soil to provide more room for the potatoes to grow fully. Use gloves to mound the soil, and you can also use a rake if needed.
Always mound the soil into rows, and each row should be at some distance, use larger containers for this purpose. Mound the soil between 7″ and 12″ tall.
Check the potato sprouts:
Count all the sprouts on the potatoes because the number of plants you will get after cultivating sprouted potatoes depends directly on the sprouts of the potatoes. Cut each sprouted eye and grow them at different spots
Each potato has a different number of sprouts.
Tip: You can simply cut the sprouts by simply using your serrated kitchen knife.
Store the sprouts before planting. You can store them simply in a cool or dry place. Do not provide water to the stored sprouts.
How to plant your Sprouted Potatoes In Containers
Put the sprout into the container soil and keep in mind that the sprout side should be facing downward. Sow each sprout 3-5″ below the soil surface.
Space out plants approximately 12 to 13 inches apart (In case of a large container) or you can use at least 16 inches wide and high container to grow around 4 potato sprouts. This way the plant will get more room both below and above the ground surface.
The opening of leaves from the plant will take time, approximately a week.
Tip: Make sure that your plant will get an excess of light. Container gardening is helpful in this regard, you can put the container at the desired spot.
Watering the Potato Plant
Water is important, but the amount of water depends on the temperature, your place, your soil, and how much water is consumed by your potatoes. Water the plant regularly.
Check the soil with your fingertips. It will give you a clue whether the soil is dry or not. If the soil is wet, hold off on watering, otherwise, keep giving water for the nourishment of your plant.
Remove unwanted weeds
There are many unwanted weeds that can grow in containers, they will give you a hard time with your potatoes.
Keep an eye on your plant and remove any unwanted weeds around it. It will prevent plants from being damaged.
Add fertilizers
Don’t forget to add fertility to your plants because fertilizers will help them grow in plants and increase their yield of the plant.
Estimated time for the Potato plant to grow
The potato plant takes almost 3 to 4 months to grow and gives a proper yield that can be harvested.
The time potatoes take to growing time depends on the type you are growing.
Here, are some basic types of potatoes
Early potato plants
They are fast-maturing potatoes.
Late-season potatoes plant
They take the longest period to grow
Midseason potato plants
They mature vastly more than late-season potatoes.
So before harvest keep in mind the exact type of potatoes that you have.
How to harvest your potatoes?
When the apparent plant disappears on its own it means that your plant is ready to harvest.
Take a garden fork and start finding your treasure in the soil.
Know the best part of the container grown potatoes? Turn the container upside down and start collecting the harvest. You can also use your hands to remove the soil.
Tip: use gloves and pull them outside from the soil by using your hand although it’s a slow process it will reduce the chance of damage or prevent potatoes from any type of cut or any harm.
If you leave potatoes in the soil for a long period, then potato skin will get thicker and it’s easy to store them for a longer period.
How to handle the harvested potatoes?
You will get different sizes of potatoes and clean off these potatoes by using a brush.
Do not use water to wash your harvested potatoes.
How to store potatoes?
Keep your potatoes dry and store them in any cool place. You can store them for up to 7 weeks or more.
Fun fact
If you find sprouts on your potato then?
You know well what to do, again start cultivation and enjoy growing more.
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-a-pot/
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers