THERE’S AN ONGOING debate about whether to cut potatoes and plant them right away or whether to cut them and store them until the cut pieces heal over. Photo courtesy of The Chronicle
We intend to plant our “seed’’ potatoes this weekend. We are never sure when we cut them how large the smaller pieces should be.
According to the National Gardening Association, small seed potatoes can be planted whole, but larger ones should first be cut into pieces with at least one eye or recessed dormant bud.
The pieces should be blocky and 1½ to 2 ounces in weight. If you cut each piece to the size of a large ice cube it will be about the right weight. Larger ones produce plants that yield a high number of medium to small potatoes. Smaller ones will yield fewer, but larger potatoes.
While it may be tempting to plant smaller pieces in the hope of getting big potatoes, stick to the middle-sized pieces. Small pieces have less starch stored up to nourish the developing plant, so their food supply is quickly exhausted. Larger pieces have more energy to offer which can help a young plant recover from early season frost damage.
There’s an ongoing debate about whether to cut seed potatoes and plant them right away or whether to cut them and store them until the cut pieces heal over. You can do it either way, but you may have more success if you cure the seed pieces after cutting them, giving them time to develop a protective covering over their exposed surfaces.
Researchers suggest you store or cure the cut seeds for two or three days in a humid environment around 70 degrees. This will promote fast healing of the surface and keep the seed pieces from drying out.
When you plant them, the protective covering will retain moisture and energy and serve as a barrier against rot organisms. Dusting the cut pieces with sulfur will also help to prevent disease infection.
Donald Tapio is a WSU Extension regional specialist emeritus. He may be reached at tapiod@wsu.edu.
