Can you plant sprouted potatoes? Yes! You can plant a sprouted potato and grow more potatoes. You will actually get several potato plants and ultimately a bunch of new potatoes from just one sprouted potato if you do it right.
Your kitchen and pantry are probably too warm, which will make them start to sprout. Don't store potatoes in the fridge: Those extra-cool conditions will trigger their starches to convert to sugars, which means sweeter potatoes (no, not sweet potatoes!) that will turn brown when cooked.
Sprouted potatoes that are still firm, have relatively small sprouts, and don't show any wrinkles or shriveling are okay to eat, as long as you cut off the sprouted parts and soft spots. However, there's still a chance you could get sick. If your potato is sprouted and shriveled up, then it's too far gone. Toss, it.
Ultimately, the best way to protect yourself is to toss out potatoes containing green patches or sprouting. However, if you do notice sprouting or a green tint in some areas, you can try and remove them with a sharp paring knife and still cook with the rest of the potato (although this isn't recommended).
Green spots and sprouts contain more toxins than the potato itself, according to Kim. “These toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking but eliminated by removing” the green or sprouted portions before cooking, Kim says. Keep in mind that you would have to consume large amounts of these toxins to experience ill effects.
Sprouted potatoes are a sign that your spud is coming to the end of its shelf life; if you peel it, you're going to find that layer of green skin under the peel. You don't want to eat the potato sprouts (commonly called eyes), and you definitely don't want to eat a wrinkly or soft potato.
Store potatoes someplace cool.
If they change too much, the potatoes may start to rot or sprout. If you store the potatoes below 40°F (4.5°C), use them within 6 to 8 months.
You can plant a whole potato if it's the size of a golf ball or smaller. Larger ones will result in massive plants that struggle to produce good sized tubers. So cut larger ones up into several pieces first for the best results.
The key is to store potatoes in a cool dry place, like in the cabinet of a pantry, in a paper bag or cardboard box. It's important to keep potatoes at the cool, ideal temperature (but not, surprisingly, the fridge) to prevent them from turning green, getting soft spots, or pre-maturely sprouting.
Potatoes can last for up to several months in a cool pantry. If stored at room temperature, they are best if eaten within one to two weeks. Once cooked, keep them in the fridge for no more than three days.
Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place.
A kitchen cupboard or closet, even the basement or garage, can all the good choices. The 45°F to 55°F temperature range is the sweet spot for potato storage, where they can last for months.
Potatoes are 80 percent water, so softness is usually just a sign of dehydration. But if they're extremely mushy or shriveled, do not pass go. Likewise, small sprouts can be removed with a vegetable peeler or knife. Long or large sprouts are a sign that the potato is probably past its prime and should be tossed.
You can use store-bought potatoes, but they can carry diseases or be treated to stop them from sprouting. Plant your potatoes in trenches and then keep covering them as they grow until they grow out the top of the trench. This encourages better yields.
You can delay the sprouting by storing your potatoes in a location with 40 to 45 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and 85 percent humidity. Keep them away from light sources, which trigger sprouting.
As long as your seed potatoes have 'eyes', which are shoots on various parts of the potatoes, they can be cut in half and planted. If the soil has been well cultivated and is not too wet, you can plant potatoes immediately.
Potatoes grow surprisingly well in a pot. It's the ideal way of growing them if you're short on space – you can even grow them on a patio or balcony. Growing potatoes in pots is especially suited to first early and second early potatoes, which grow fast and are at a premium in the shops.
Clean potatoes before storing them. You need only brush off the soil on potatoes grown in coarse, sandy soil. But if the soil is fine, sticky clay, your potatoes may need washing. If so, be sure they are completely dry before placing them in storage.
Potatoes are safe to eat, even after they've sprouted, as long as they are still firm to the touch, don't look too wrinkly and shriveled, and the sprouts are small. There are, however, toxin concerns with potato sprouts, so you need to remove the sprouts and ensure that the potato isn't too far gone.
They'll each develop into a potato plant. If you do cut them, place them cut side down and sprout (or eye) side up when planting. Personally, I don't bother cutting the sprouted potatoes before planting because usually, I'm already struggling to find enough garden space to plant these volunteers.
Store Potatoes In a Cool, Dry Place
Potatoes are best kept around 45˚F to 50˚F, which means they shouldn't be stored in the fridge or freezer. The best place to store them for maximum shelf life (up to three months!) is a cool basement or garage—as long as it's dry.
Small green spots and sprouts or eyes should be completely trimmed off, however, if it's more than small spots, throw the potato out. Do not use any green potatoes, trimmed or not, if you are serving children as they have a lower body mass and would be more susceptible to the solanine.