They will keep quite a long time before planting as long as they are kept cool, dry and out of direct sun. Do you have a garage you could keep them in? Or a cool nook in your basement? And make sure that bag really is paper...they need to breathe :-) In a pinch you can put them in the frig but they don't really require that much cold.

That is always an issue for me, I really don't have a cool nook. My garage is a stand alone and is cold and the basement is too hot. [g] So it's either the fridge or the corner of a closet. Yes, the bag is paper. I could open the bag and check it out a little more to see the condition of the seed and make sure the bag is entirely paper and see if I see any perforations.

That's good that they will keep awhile. I planned on planting them in containers this year and I haven't got them ready yet. And I just got roses that have to go in tomorrow.

Don't put them in the fridge. You garage is probably okay, the average temp in probably pretty warm overall. You can plant them soon, next week or the week after that. The only worry are frosts after they emerge, but then you can move bags around or cover them easily, that is what I do. Room temperature is not going to ruin them before you plant them. You WANT the "seed" potatoes to sprout a little, you don't want them totally dormant.

If the potato sprouts are just nubs under a half of inch or less, do not worry, they will be fine. You just do not want 6 inch long spindly growths that you have to break off. Even then you can get them to grow.

Potatoes are easy, don't worry too much. Johnny's sent you the potatoes at the correct time, to give you time to sprout them a little.

I got mine today from Maine Potato Lady. I opened the box and checked them. They looked like store potatoes, I mean no sprouting at all. I put them in the attached unheated garage. I have my apple scions and rootstocks there, and they're doing fine. So I'm hoping the seed spuds will also be fine. Did both seed potato suppliers ship on the same day to the same USDA zone?

Both are in the original boxes, and while there are windows there, I'm sure it's dark enough inside the boxes.

If potatoes are left in darkness, they will develop long undesirable sprrouts.

For chitting they need bright light.

Do as floral said. My chitting happens in a room that is around 60F with bright light, and they are fine for a week or two IME. And if the soil can be worked you can plant the potatoes. They will be covered with soil and in my garden have never been damaged by frost because they sprout and emerge at the right time.

I got around to opening the bag this morning and found an egg carton...I'll have to find a place for them, all my window sills get direct sunlight and almost every one has a radiator under it.

Now, I'm wondering if I bought enough. I am planning to plant some in a more shady location in raised beds and some in large containers in full sun which I did last year and it worked out fine. I may buy another variety or more if I can still get some and do another container.

Do I plant these whole or cut them into smaller pieces? These are French Fingerlings

Egg sized or larger I cut in half. Each piece needs a couple of eyes at the least. The ones I plan to cut I set on their sides so both halves’ eyes grow. If set on end, the top grows and greens up more than the bottom eyes.

Perfect - I didn't think there were eyes on both ends, I'll try that. I see a few that are big enough to cut in half. Thanks.