Monday, May 6, 2013

Planting Grocery Store Potatoes

I've almost always had fresh baby potatoes from Mama's garden to eat in late spring or early summer.  She always saw to it that all of her children and various other loved ones had some fresh potatoes.  But, Mama's not here, and in fact was not able to grow her beloved garden for the last couple of years.

So this year, even though I got a late start, I decided to plant some of my own potatoes. But, I never got over to the garden center to buy my "certified virus free seed potatoes". Did this stop me? No...

Breaking Through the ground
I cut the eyes off some grocery store potatoes and planted them about a week and a half ago.   I used the remainder of the potatoes to make a bowl of potato salad.

 I recall Mama doing this one year when seed potatoes weren't available, but I'm not sure how that crop of hers turned out.   I went outside today, braving the relentless, cold, rainy, wind, (argh!)  and was so surprised that they have come up!!! 

Poor Soil, but well drained.

Now, I will need to work some compost into the soil around them and keep the dirt hilled up around them as they grow. I can't wait to see if the grocery store potatoes actually produce enough potatoes to be worth the trouble. I'll keep you posted!

9 comments:

Little Penpen said...

I've always wondered why people say you can't plant grocery store potatoes. I hope they produce for you. Your mom is surely smiling down on you!

Kathryn D. Duke said...

well...I did not even know that you there was any other way to plant them than from table scrap peelings!!! yours should be just fine. I actually have never planted that many but have loved the few we got. none this year.

we miss our mama's and grand's gardens , don't we...and I am no way close to the gardener my grands were.

happy gardening!!

Auntie M said...

Call me when little new potatoes are on the table. I will be right over, because I do love them. Now, if we can just get some fresh garden (English) peas to cook with them!!!!!!!!! Ask Hubby if he remembers.

Terri said...

I hope you have a great crop. My potatoes were pitiful last year!

Susannah said...

Grandpa had the best garden. He would give veggies to everybody in the town he lived in. His potatoes were wonderful. For the life of me, I can not remember even how he cut the potatoes. So, this is interesting to me.

Thanks, Debbie!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

How fun, never thought about planting the store potatoes. Interesting to see what happens. Hugs, Marty

Dave said...

Hi Debbie,
I wanted to let you know that I am posting once a week over at Dave's blog.
I know lots of your readers use to read my blog and some have been asking where I am.
I send you a package over the week end.
xxoo
Elizabeth Q

Anonymous said...

I haven't even began planting mine yet. Good luck with the potatoes. :-)

Alexandra said...

Ours came up by accident that way - composting! One is coming up again this year in a back corner.

Glimpses of Home - first quarter of 2021

I made a list of my 2021 goals that I wrote down in the back of my planner.  Its time to review that to see how I am doing! But, here are a ...