Forgotten new potatoes - can I plant them?Hello all

Francis63

Hi all, 

I bought some 'small new potatoes' from Waitrose and then totally forgot I had them. 

I'm impressed that they have managed to have tiny babies 

What can I do with them now? Can I plant them and hope for some growth? Is it the right time of year? Do I chit them first or dry them out? or just bung them in some compost?

As you can tell I have never grown a spud in my life and haven't got a clue!

Daisymaisy

A few pointers :

1. Sowing shop bought potatoes is not usually recommended as they are not certified free of disease like seed potatoes and you may or may not get a crop.
2. The ideal size for seed potatoes is about the size of a hens egg so the little potatoes in your photo are unlikely to be suitable for growing.
3.  The larger potatoes in your picture, the wrinkled ones have already chitted.  Those long stalks which look like they have already dried were the chits.  The potatoes are all wrinkled because the starch they contained has gone into producing the shoots.  Unfortunately they are unlikely to produce new sprouts now so you'll need to start with fresh potatoes.
4. It's a bit too early to plant potatoes out as they are not frost hardy.  Depending on the variety sowing usually takes place from late March onwards.

Seed potatoes should be in garden centres and shops like Wilkos to buy now for chitting.  A quick google of how to chit and grow potatoes will set you on the path to your own home grown crop of 🥔🥔🥔.

twopenny

You could probably eat them. A little potato salad 
I've planted supermarket potatoes when they've sprouted which happens quickly in spring with no ill effects. 
These are too small but I did used to put mine on the compost heap and they grew happily there with no attention. I don't have the room otherwise.
You could have fun putting them in a potato growing bag with some compost and see what happens.

Francis63

Thank you both. I'll have a miniature potato salad  and grow some fresh ones after the risk of frost. Thank you!