How do you plant your seed potatoes?

[Hatfield Country]

I planted my seed potatoes yesterday, half I cut and half I planted whole. I'm wondering which will yield more potatoes.

 

[YumYum]

When you find out, would you post your results?

 

[Meadowlark]

In my experience it's a mixed bag. Small potatoes with one or two eyes should be planted whole and not cut. Larger potatoes that can be cut basically in half with two eyes remaining in each piece should be cut accordingly. Sometimes even larger potatoes can be cut in three pieces as long as two eyes reman in each piece. Three pieces is about my limit as going after four usually is counter-productive.

 

[YumYum]

I cut mine up pretty skinny this year. They basically dried overnight into almost potato chips with one to two (if I couldnt' help it) eyes per cutting. I'm exaggerating by just a little when I say potato chips. I had them sitting in a plastic flat and they were falling through it as they dried overnight into a plastic bin, if that says something. I don't remember have a 3rd eye cutting but cant remember. I guess should have recorded exactly what I did but I did cut the least amount of eyes per cutting I could get away with and still have some meat to go with it.

57 of 60 plants sprouted so the meat of the potato cant really be the deciding factor of germination if you keep your soil damp. Disease (from not letting my cuttings cure long enough) & production per plant might be a factor from that decision.

 

[Toddz]

I cut mine up pretty skinny this year. They basically dried overnight into almost potato chips with one to two (if I couldnt' help it) eyes per cutting. I'm exaggerating by just a little when I say potato chips. I had them sitting in a plastic flat and they were falling through it as they dried overnight into a plastic bin, if that says something. I don't remember have a 3rd eye cutting but cant remember. I guess should have recorded exactly what I did but I did cut the least amount of eyes per cutting I could get away with and still have some meat to go with it.

57 of 60 plants sprouted so the meat of the potato cant really be the deciding factor of germination if you keep your soil damp. Disease (from not letting my cuttings cure long enough) & production per plant might be a factor from that decision.

I read somewhere that the meat of the potato, as you say, is not the main factor. I can't remember where I read that.

As you may or may not know, roots will form on any part of buried stem and produce tubers. That's why many people pull dirt up around the topside growth.

I do a combination of straw and dirt. One year I got some left over turf sod and used it around my potatos but it didn't work out that well but I only tried it with 2 plants.

 

[lifegardener]

I planted my seed potatoes yesterday, half I cut and half I planted whole. I'm wondering which will yield more potatoes.

Those that are whole will do better generally.
Leave a few of the biggest in after each harvest, for bigger and better follow on harvests.

If you have access to any mulch - preferably straw / leaf litter on your property, suggest adding another row - with no tilling - where you place the potatoes on the ground directly, and then covered with several inches of loose mulch.

Keep us posted on their progress.

The Ruth Stout Method

 

[Hatfield Country]

When you find out, would you post your results?

Absolutely!

 

[Hatfield Country]

Those that are whole will do better generally.
Leave a few of the biggest in after each harvest, for bigger and better follow on harvests.

If you have access to any mulch - preferably straw / leaf litter on your property, suggest adding another row - with no tilling - where you place the potatoes on the ground directly, and then covered with several inches of loose mulch.

Keep us posted on their progress.

The Ruth Stout Method

I may try that method too! I'll definitely give an update