Potato seeding ?

jCarroll · Mar 31, 2017

After we cut the seed potatoes into "seeding chunks", should we spread them out and let them dry for a few days?

Want to know how long the tractor shed floor will be tied up.

Richard G. · Mar 31, 2017

I usually plant them the same day I cut then up. They do just fine.
Pics from last year.
Richard in NW SC

Leroy · Mar 31, 2017

Been years since we raised them. At that time it was a lot of times the previous years crop and cut with enough to plant and rest of potato was dinner being fixed while we were planting. Only time for dried was when I tried some sets bought by mail.

Dick L · Mar 31, 2017

It all depended on how many we were planting and how much help we would have. Normally if the kids were around we cut and planted at the same time. If the wife and I were going to have to plant by ourselves we would cut the night before. During or just after world war two mom scooped the eyes out of the potatos as she pealed for cooking and placed them in strawberry boxes with news papers and sawdust or something like it. I don't remember how long the boxes were stored before planting. I would guess it was no more than a couple weeks or less as we eat potatoes two and three times a day. At 78 I'm digging back a bit in the memory.

Case Nutty 1660 · Mar 31, 2017

I researched that last year and tried what I found, cut them into "egg sized" making sure you have at least one eye in all,, then put them in a cool place in a paper sack sealed up for 10-14 days before planting this puts them into the "grow mode" and really sped up they time it took to come up ,, worked very well and I will do it again this year
cnt

Farmall plowboy · Mar 31, 2017

Here in Cent. WI, I've cut and planted same day and waited a week to plant after cutting, No real difference for me.....I do both reds and bakers.....Craig

Crazy Horse · Mar 31, 2017

My dad used to tell me that if you waited a few days, the cut surface had a chance to what he called "scab over" ..... his term for the surface drying a bit and forming sort of a thin skin that perhaps was more resistant to soil bacteria, mold, etc. Not sure if he was correct with that but I still do what he did. Whether it helps or not, who knows?

RayP(MI) · Mar 31, 2017

That's what we did. See some of the farmers here nowdays taking them out of the cutting machine and right into the truck to go to the planter.

PJH · Mar 31, 2017

Interesting subject.

I remember folks in the neighborhood who would cut the seed potato, then dip the cut surfaces in air-slaked lime and immediately plant them.

One neighbor insisted that the eyes had to be pointing up when planted.

One neighbor would lightly step on each piece after dropping it.

One neighbor would dry the cut pieces a few days like the original poster mentioned.

Wife's grandmother told of peeling the potatoes thick and planting the peelings (ate the centers).

One common thought was two eyes per cut piece.

I respected all of those opinions because every one of those folks raised excellent potatoes. I've tried every one of these methods, in the same row, and couldn't tell a lick of difference. It seems like potatoes are pretty forgiving. A prolonged wet season before they come up has always been my biggest problem. Last year I struck out. Twice.

PJH · Mar 31, 2017

Richard, are those Kennebecs?

Nice looking patch!

Charlie M · Mar 31, 2017

I've done both ways and I think letting them dry a day has worked better. Maybe depends on how wet it is after planting before they come up.

Richard G. · Mar 31, 2017

Yep, we grow only Kennebecs.
Richard

mazemeister · Mar 31, 2017

if you are ready (and the ground is!) to plant the same day you cut, that is just fine. commercial sized potato farmers typically would treat the cut seed with a fungicide and/or insecticide before planting, but on a garden scale it wouldn't be worth it. if you want to let the cut potatoes suberize ("scab over") that is also fine, just make sure they don't sit undisturbed in a big pile/container or they could heat up. spreading them out in thin layers works, or put them in sacks and once or twice a day, dump one sack into another to stir them up.

rusty6 · Mar 31, 2017

I don't often cut the seed potatoes. Just pick some up out of the basement cold room and put them in the ground later on in April. If they are big I might cut them in half but generally pick smaller, well shaped potatoes to seed. Later on when the row comes up I can always fill in with replanting any that did not sprout.

Bret4207 · Mar 31, 2017

I was always told to toss the cut pieces in a bucket of hard wood ashes and then lay them out in the air for an afternoon at least. Don't know why, but I did it that way for years. Kind of got out of it, but it seemed to work fine.

rdandersom · Apr 1, 2017

My grandfather always let his seed pieces rest a week before planting. He used something called "paris green" on the cuts to prevent rot.I have no idea what paris green is.

larry Mi · Apr 1, 2017

Paris green.= Copper sulfate fungiside.

Potato seeding ?

jCarroll

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Richard G.

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Leroy

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Dick L

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Case Nutty 1660

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Farmall plowboy

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Crazy Horse

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RayP(MI)

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PJH

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PJH

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Charlie M

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Richard G.

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mazemeister

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rusty6

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Bret4207

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rdandersom

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larry Mi

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