Alternatively, buy potatoes and leave them near a window for a few days until they start sprouting eyes.
This will also remove pesticide residue and growth retardant if you aren’t using organic potatoes.
The goal is to have them far enough into the potato, and spaced evenly enough, that they will hold up the potato when you place it into a glass of water.
Change the water in the jar if it gets cloudy. Add water if necessary to keep the potato submerged.
Be sure to thoroughly wash and rinse your pot before you begin the planting process.
Placing small stones or pebbles in the bottom of the pot will ensure that water can get out of the soil and not cause mildew or rot. Alternatively, use a pot with drainage holes in the bottom.
Acidic sulfur helps potatoes feed, so test your soil and make sure the pH is around 5. 5. Add elemental sulfur (sometimes called soil acidifier) to the soil if the pH is above 5. 5.
Don’t place any of the potatoes next to the edge of the pot.
Your soil should be as wet as a wrung-out sponge.
Potatoes should be ready for harvesting in 10-12 weeks, or when the foliage begins to die. [9] X Research source
For more mature and larger potatoes, wait 1-2 weeks before harvesting.
Be careful to not cut or bruise the potatoes at this point, as the skin will be tender and easy to tear.
Potatoes will last about 5 months in a dark, cool place. [12] X Research source If you don’t have a root cellar, you can store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. The cold temperature of the fridge will convert the starch in potatoes to sugar, so be sure to use them within 1 week. [13] X Research source
