Potatoes growing from last year's leftovers

frazzbo

Hi folks - I've been a bit rubbish this year and yesterday was the first day I've done anything in the garden. The bad weather went on for such a long time that I just kept delaying planting anything, and now I think it's too late! I've started a few things though just in case.

Anyway, whilst weeding my potato sacks from last year, I spotted some potato leaves sticking out the top of some of the bags. These must have sprouted from some potatoes leftover from last year's crop. Does anyone know if these will be safe to eat if I leave them to grow? I have a feeling you're supposed to grow from seed potatoes (as I usually would) but it seems a shame to throw them away so I'd like to keep them if I can. It would however mean that potatoes would be grown in the same soil two years running which I know you're not supposed to do (I think it increases risk of disease or something...).

Farway

They will be perfectly safe to eat, but you will be taking a bit of a risk on the "volunteers" because the compost may have depleted nutrients

I would go ahead, but try and add some Growmore or other fertiliser now & then

Blight is air borne, so not a soil problem

Melaniep101

We seem to have some potato plants growing in our composter! I'm hoping I'll get something this year as last year was a complete disaster.

pawsies

Same here, noticed the tiny ones that I left last year had sprouted again this year, wasn't going to do potatoes this year but clearly my garden has other plans

gin

we have loads of volunteers too. let them grow for free potatoes! :money:

Yorkie1

Blight can, in fact, overwinter on plant material. I wouldn't risk it if I was planting them on an allotment site.

leon103

I had the same, I empty the soil from my Potatoes into my new flower beds (bottom of the bed) and I had new potatoes growing. I dug them up and the potatoes were split or rotten. Nice ones may have grown if I left them in though.