Want a great potato harvest? Let them sprout in February

Potatoes from your own garden are definitely worth it. Enjoying boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, or homemade potato purée from your own harvest is definitely worth it. However, it is not always possible to grow truly beautiful tubers that are a joy to behold. That’s why it’s worth paying attention to potatoes now in February. Specifically, we should let them sprout. They will manage this without any problems and will be much better prepared for planting.

You don’t need improperly sprouted potatoes

Many cellars are not dark enough and do not have the required low temperature. It is therefore clear that potatoes will start to sprout much more and earlier. The sprouts of such potatoes are very long and also fragile. They are definitely not suitable for planting, not only because the sprouts would break and the crop would be ruined. These sprouts can be shortened, but they are usually very fragile as they stretch toward the light.

How to sprout potatoes correctly?

Ideally, the potatoes should be placed side by side in the crate so that they do not overlap. The part of the potato with the most sprouts should face upwards. The crates should be kept at a temperature of 12 to 15 °C. The potatoes will sprout in about 6 weeks. The length of time you leave them to sprout depends on this information. The end of February is optimal.

Do not let store-bought potatoes sprout!

Either way. They are treated to prevent sprouting. Retailers obviously do not want potatoes to sprout. They sell them for consumption. Sprouts would deter customers. Potatoes should ideally be nice and smooth.

Sprouted potatoes from the store: Photo Freeimages

A few tricks before planting potatoes

The first is to harden the potatoes. In other words, leave them in a room at a temperature of 6 to 8 °C for a few days. If you want to improve the growth of the potatoes even further, cover them lightly with soil 10 days before planting. This will encourage them to develop roots.

Sources of information: Author, https://gardenerd.com/blog/sprouting-seed-potatoes/, https://tojenapad.dobrenoviny.sk/292788/najlepsie-rady-k-bohatej-urode-zemiakov/

Sprouted potato: Preview photo Radek Štěpán