Ok, frost is taking its toll and we're into that period of time where the tubers are likely starting to eye up in the ground.

Next year all of my plants will come from their own tubers, no cuttings. Ultimately, IÂll be putting a single tuber with a sprout into a 4" pot. I believe I have more than enough tubers to achieve this.

Since I plan on starting the new crop immediately, my dilemma is how to get the 174 new plants I will need. I see 3 choices:

1. Take the clump out of its 4" pot, clean, and place the clump in peat moss and water it until a sprout forms, then remove that tuber from the clump and put it into a 4" pot as a plant for next year. Do this until I have as many of that variety as I need for next year, each one with its own tuber.

2. Leave the clump in its 4" pot until there are enough sprouts showing to meet next year's needs. Then take it out of the pot, clean it, and cut each tuber with a sprout and put them in their individual 4" pots (chance of breaking sprouts.)

3. Leave the plants in the ground for another 2 weeks so they'll be eye'd up. Lift, remove from their 4" pots, clean, and pick as many tubers with eyes as needed for next year. Pot them up as above (chance that eyes will not form, or tubers freeze.)

4. Lift now and clean and divide tubers, start them all until I have enough of each variety for next year, then toss the remainder, maybe keeping one extra of each variety (chance of not dividing properly, not leaving enough eye material.)

Which would you do?

Cheers,

Russ