Potatoes are a universally loved food item and often referred to as a staple of everyone’s diet. Organic potatoes are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
In contrast to organic potatoes, non-organic potatoes have been treated with a sprouting inhibitor to restrain the growth of ‘eyes’.
Organic potatoes are rarely treated with preservatives or sprouting inhibitors, so they naturally sprout sooner than non-organic potatoes.
If organic potatoes are stored at warmer temperatures, then they could sprout even sooner. As a general rule, potatoes that are 4–8 weeks old are much more likely to sprout.
How to Get Organic Potatoes to Sprout?
It is important to note that organic potatoes naturally enter a dormant state after harvest to protect against unfavorable weather, a period that lasts about four to eight weeks. Favorable conditions should be used to break dormancy.
Organic Potatoes will sprout due to several reasons which include;
- Planting them in the garden or harvesting and storing them for future use.
- Expose them to light or even artificial light will be fine. Ray is supposed to be good for potatoes so that they grow healthy and strong.
- Sprouting will occur in warm temperatures. Being in a friendlier environment will also benefit them in their sprouting. Warm temperatures allow the potato to begin growing, and a range of 50- 60 degrees F is enough.
- Increase the moisture or humidity of the area around the potatoes. Organic Potatoes will sprout under moisture. Gardeners suggest they grow their potatoes in a moist environment and store them completely dry. It is also a suggestion to put a layer of some lightly damp paper towels in between the potatoes to keep them damp.
- You can enhance sprouting using the effect of Ethylene. Ethylene is a gas that many plants and fruits all naturally have. Putting your potatoes in paper bags along with any ripening type of vegetables will also help speed up the sprouting process because the natural Ethylene gas given off from ripening fruit helps the sprouting response.
- Potatoes can be placed in a dark area in your refrigerator to help bring the potato out of its dormancy period. You would let it sit in the refrigerator for around 15 days before taking it out and put it in an area with good light.
What Average Time Does It Take For Potatoes To Sprout?
On average, potatoes sown into the soil can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to sprout. Again, temperature, sunlight, and soil moisture affect the time to sprout.
Potatoes do not need soil to sprout because they are a tuber that has enough nutrients itself to produce new growth. If simply left behind and no measures are taken, potatoes will sprout in about one to three months after they are harvested.
The average time for potatoes to sprout has a bit of variability depending on their variety and the soil and weather conditions, but usually the range averages from 14-28 days for potatoes planted in the soil.
Those planted in cooler, wetter soil usually will require a longer time to sprout, as compared to a later planted potato after the soil has begun to warm up to over 50 degrees.
Can Sprouting Organic Potatoes Be Used Or Eaten?
Once potatoes sprout fully in your storage area, they are fine to plant in the garden. After about three to four weeks, potatoes that are green and sprouted are still fine to plant.
Oh yes, if the sprouts are overgrown, it is recommended to remove some of them by cutting again.
A good practice is to wear gloves while handling the sprouts because of the glycoalkaloid compounds (solanine and chaconine) potatoes exude to persuade pests not to attack its developing plant and delays decaying.
Potatoes will contain Solanine, a glycoalkaloid compound, which is why you will tolerate eating sprouted potatoes for as long as there is small (insignificant) Solanine, that the potato does not look too wrinkly and “withered” and its still firm with unsprouted edges and removing any dangerous sprout, bruise and respective green skin.
If there are any question about the glycoalkaloids, discard the potatoes baring bruising and sprouting.
As it sprouting, the level of glycoalkaloid compound rises. Therefore, consumption increases the intake of the glycoalkaloid compounds, headache, nausea, vomiting or death. Many times, even removing the sprout from the potato still results in a bad taste.
Swell nodes, tell you that the potatoes distinctly broke dormancy and are now converting starch into sugars and other nutrients in advance of planting.
This is important because once the carbohydrates convert to sugar at this stage it also lower the overall nutritional value.
How to Prevent Organic Potatoes from Sprouting?
To stop sprouting, potato producers often treat the potatoes several ways. If you buy organic potatoes, or grow your own, there are a few simple ways to preserve them for an extended time. Potatoes should be stored in a cool place.
The ideal temperature is between 45 and 50 degrees F. You want to be sure the temperature is a constant failure point. This causes the potatoes to start rotting, or sprouting.
If you buy potatoes in bulk, or harvest your own, you should choose your potato varieties carefully. Some potatoes store better and longer than others. In general, dryer, late-harvest potatoes store the best overall.
Organic potatoes grown at home should be dried if you want to store them for several weeks or longer. If you skip this simple, but necessary step, they will likely not store as long as they should.
In addition, moisture and exposure to the sun will cause potatoes to spoil. Most potatoes are stored loosely in a perforated, plastic bag.
While it seems obvious, as stated, damaged potatoes will also not store well. When you store quality potatoes correctly, they will spoil or sprout at a much slower rate.
To keep potatoes from sprouting too soon, store potatoes with a fruit, such as an apple.
The apple fruit will emit ethylene gas as it ripens to prevent potatoes from sprouting. Do not store other fruits with potatoes. Store potatoes in a cooler, darkened area. Keep potatoes away from onions. If you store potatoes close to onions, the onions will sprout.
What Conditions to Apply While Growing Sprouted Organic Potatoes?
They are grown without the use of artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Full sun is always better for the growth of sprouted organic potatoes. Growing of sprouted organic potatoes requires;
- Meticulous soil preparation. They are very well-rooted plants. When you plant these potatoes in light, loose, well-drained soils with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight, that will be the best harvest. They prefer soils that are somewhat acidic, at a PH of 5.0 to 7.0. They are less susceptible to diseases in acidic soils.
- Choice of early-producing, disease-resistant potato varieties.
- Use of good cultural practices.
- Use organic pesticides cautiously. Too much will produce a more leggy plant that may be prone to disease. Use natural fertilizers that don’t inhibit sprouting.
- Crop rotation. Organic potatoes should be planted in rotation from the previous garden bed. They have probably not been grown in a similar spot for more than three to four years.
- Cool conditions. You want to avoid freezing conditions and temperatures that limit tuber production.
Fortunately, organic potatoes are highly adaptable, and will almost always provide a good harvest, even when the soil and/or growing seasons are not ideal.
Final Thoughts
For novice gardeners, potatoes are the first crop that should go in the ground. Now that you know how to sprout potatoes plus any other information, now you can take this knowledge to improve your yields of potatoes in your seasonal gardens.
Also, now that you have funds, you can prevent the consumption of naturally occurring glycoalkaloids compounds that can be harmful.