Some varieties sprout quickly, and others are 'keepers.' In spite of claims that market spuds are treated, i never seem to have a problem with getting them to sprout if I just wait long enough. I imagine there is a chemical you can use to hold off sprouting, but like many herbicides and pesticides, you won't be able to get your hands on it. I know that at least one version is sprayed on the plants in the field while the spuds are growing.

I have three different varieties stored next to each other this year, and it's just the fingerlings sprouting so badly. I don't recall them doing so in previous years.

You may want to break those sprouts off and store what you can in the refrigerator.

Refrigerating does help. The fingerlings I have in there aren't sprouting anywhere near as rampantly as the ones in the cellar. Problem is, I have apples in there, too.

I was reading where the professionals store at a very narrow temperature range. Temperature too low and starches start turning to sugars while temperatures to high and buds start to produce shoots -- some say. Some say 39oF.

Since I read it it must be true. VBG

What I read is that the refrigerated potatoes will turn the sugar back to starch once removed from the cold. They don't say how long this would take.

Chlorpropham (CIPC)

"Chlorpropham is moderately toxic by ingestion (2). It may cause irritation of the eyes or skin (2). Symptoms of poisoning in laboratory animals have included listlessness, incoordination, nose bleeds, protruding eyes, bloody tears, difficulty in breathing, prostration, inability to urinate, high fevers, and death. Autopsies of animals have shown inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining, congestion of the brain, lungs and other organs, and degenerative changes in the kidneys and liver (2)

Chronic exposure of laboratory animals has caused retarded growth, increased liver, kidney and spleen weights, congestion of the spleen and death (2). No deaths or micropathological abnormalities occurred in rats given diets containing 2% chlorpropham for 90 days (4)."

[sigh]

Thanks, tn