Seed Potatoes 101: How To Prepare Potatoes For Planting!

When learning how to grow potatoes, you'll hear about "seed potatoes" and you might wonder what they are. Unlike many other plants, we grow our potatoes from...other potatoes!

However, there's a process that our seed potatoes need to undergo to make sure they have the best chance of survival. This is what we're talking about in today's video.

I bought some seed potatoes from Urban Farmer Seeds (Russet, All Red, and All Blue varieties) and am going to talk you through chitting, cutting, and drying your seed potatoes, as well as the basic anatomy and structure of a potato.

Hopefully after this video you have a full understanding of how to prepare your potatoes for planting!

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[corrosioncrawler]

#1… I really like your approach to asking your viewers to share what type of videos we would like to hear. FOR ME, I know I can obsess over doing something RIGHT or abandoning a project or putting it off because I don’t know EXACTLY what the BEST WAY to get the highest yield. So I wind up with nothing, rather that start w what I know and learn as I go! I really get less obsessive or OCD, when learning something new the presenter says, “… don’t get discouraged, YOU CANT MESS THIS UP!”
BTW, your video is the ONLY reason I’m now cutting my first ever purchased seed taters to let dry. I had no clue they needed to dry!! Thanks!!
Example: Don’t worry about getting them at the proper depth in the soil. As long as they are covered with dirt, you’re good!! 👍🏼 “You really can’t mess this up!”😉

[karinbarasa]

This demo was excellent! My only suggestion is that you show the final result you speak of (by preparing a potato in advance that is now ready for planting) and this may be in a different video, but seeing a "dried over" potato that is ready for planting would be a very helpful conclusion for this step of the process. I just found your channel today when I searched for and watched your video on growing the potatoes in a container. What I really love about your videos so far is that you don't over-explain and take forever to share information. Also your organization of your channel is fantastic because you have labeled with large lettering over the video so it's easy to find what I will want to watch. Subscribed immediately! Thanks for all of this information and I wish you the greatest success!

[randyrodriguez]

You're killing it, keep doing exactly what you're doing! I get a lot of great info from your videos, despite us being in different hardiness zones.

[Mrscarmileeta]

"Soo...now that im done Freaking out" ahaha I love this guy

[skLuke]

Thank you. This is my first time planting potatoes i wasn't sure what exactly was a seed potato, meaning was it a special potato used for growing. I'm doing a no dig potato garden for blues, reds & sweets, plus a container garden. So excited. Thank you.

[denisetodd]

Getting ready to teach potato planting to my Montessori Farm School middle school students today! They are going to love your video... Thanks for the thorough explanation about the reasons we trim down the potato matter, and for beginning with potato anatomy!

[patoca]

I’m in Greater Montreal and I LOVE watching all your videos! Great Job!!! I was about to plant whole potatoes and I’m glad I just watched this!

[Kris-hqed]

Omg THANK YOU! Yours are my favorite gardening how-to videos. 😊

[Nikki-mxmy]

This is so cool! I just made my first seed potatoes and this step by step tutorial was so helpful. Thank you!

[pattibaldwin]

Hi Kevin - Eric😅, thank you so much for I am just learning at 68 years young. I am doing container gardening. And have 5 20 gallon fabric bags and waiting for 20 25 gallon bags. It is mid April here in the mid Hudson Valley so things are slowly coming back to life. I purchased 5 seed potatoes and now I know what to do…thank you. You are the best gardening inspiration. I am going to plant peas today and can’t wait to see the growing. I am slowly start takin over some more yard towards garden. I think I will be purchasing your raised beds to accomplish my takeover. Who needs yards to mow. It’s a British thing. Thank you for your help and support in learning to be a more self sufficient in providing a better way to make our food healthier.

[WendyT]

Love these type of videos. You do your research and do a great job of explaining things. I just got my seed potatoes yesterday. I am excited to get them ready and then plant them.

[NazarasfineCrafts]

Thank you for dumbing it down... I have been trying and not understanding other videos but you explain everything. Thank you!!!!

[pch]

Thanks a lot for your gardening advise. I am in Aussie and find you practical examples excellent. You just get right to the point and provide easy to follow instruction. Thanks a lot.

[Nicolandia]

This was perfect! I’m planting some potatoes soon and now I have a great idea on how to start! Much appreciated!!!! Really enjoy the tips and tricks! Thank you!

[GraysonDey]

Good information! Straight to the point and easy to understand. More videos like this one would be awesome!

[alaskaspecialtycrops]

Nice video! Please consider making your seed pieces a bit larger: 1.5 to 2 ounces seems to be an ideal size. Another consideration is that the seed piece needs to use additional energy to heal every cut face so there is no advantage to cutting away the extra material. The rot you mention is much more likely to come in through the cut face than the area with the intact skin.

[christinereynolds]

I love to grow food from seeds but I wasn't sure how to grow them, I had potatoes that had gone to seed and I would just put them whole into the soil but what you said makes sense to have them dry out so they dont go rotten. Enjoyed your tips thank you

[johnslaymaker]

Great vid, love the close-ups and great detail. So many other channels gloss over this. Great job!

[shannaharmstrong]

Love the info! I grew up with my parents just putting the whole potatoes in a mound. Glad I seen this. I will give it a try. I plan on planting mine in self wicking buckets.

[elyseacote]

I would love a start to finish, complete guide for potatoes. I am trying to grow them this year and it seems like everyone had videos that only cover one part of the process. The problem is, apparently with potatoes, there are many steps that have to be done at different, specific times! Trying to piece that all together from separate videos is a bit challenging.