I find that it helps a bit to have the seed potatoes where it is warm a couple weeks and they will start sprouting. I then put them in some light to green sprout them.

Some people plant them without sprouts, but I like to get more jump on them before hot weather...see post below this.

Point No. 2. ...If the 'baby' potatoes are really small, they are not the best for planting. They should be sprouting now if in a warm place.

I learned something last year concerning raising potatoes. I had some very shriveled left over potatoes with green sprouts out in an enclosed patio. I decided to plant them on August 1st. WOW. They really beared good and then these potatoes didn't sprout through the winter and stayed plump. August 1st was pushing it before frost, but I had a mesh frost cloth to baby them till they sized up the potatoes and the plants died down about 95%.

I plan to try that again but likely plant a couple weeks sooner. Last summer was too hot for good production as potatoes like cooler weather than my last summer was.

Thanks!

Anyone else? Mostly curious about waiting for eyes to form - hw important is it and what is the best way to speed up eye formation.

Yes. i think it is important to sprout seed potatoes by setting them out in sunlight. Either outdoors or in side by a south facing window.

I have them indoors near my LED grow lights................. ok? A lot warmer but less light (because they are off to the side to make room for vegetables sprouts

As long as they'll sprout.

I read an interesting report where 1 seed potato produced 450 lbs.

The nice sized potato was cut in 2 pieces and the cut was left to heal. Then the 2 pieces were placed on soil in a green house. As shoots reached 3 or4 inches long, they were cut and propagated to produce roots....and these produced shoots that the tops were cut off for more shoots. Nearly 150 shoots were planted altogether.

Potatoes can grow naturally quite fine, they are used to being underground in the dark. Being out of the soil and growing long eyes searching for soil in the light is unnatural. That said, I don't know if growing eyes hurts or helps production. Growing eyes seems to help them break ground sooner, but I don't know if waiting for them to make eyes is faster in the long run. You need to plant them when it is time, weather permitting.

Most of the potatoes I buy to plant end up growing eyes before I can plant them anyway. Some people have said in another thread that they break off the eyes before they plant them, and they grow fine. If you ever dig up a potato in Spring, you see that they start growing hair roots immediately, they don't have rootless eyes underground.

Thanks!

Last question, do you water them after planting? I know to try to avoid planting before a lot of rain is expected and I have never watered them after planting - which jsut seems weird because I water everything else.

I don't water them...don't want them soggy if it rains.

I agree but what if there is no rain forecasted for 3 days or more?

If planted into moist ground, that ought to last a while.

Agreed!