Greensprouting is a technique used to give potatoes a fast start in the spring. Usable potatoes will be produced up to two weeks earlier in the season. This can be very important to the homemaker since early potatoes are usually very expensive in the grocery store or at the market.

This procedure allows the seed potato tubers to develop short ( ½ - 1 inch) sturdy sprouts before planting. About April l, small potatoes (1 - 1½ inches in diameter) without sprouts should be placed in low flat trays and put in an area of subdued light such as a north window. If light intensity is too low, the sprouts will be longer in length and spindly. Within 3-4 weeks, sprouts will have developed. These sprouts will be purplish green in color and contain very small leaves as well as root initials.

About May 1, the greensprouted tubers can be planted into the garden. When planting the tubers, make sure that they are covered with 2-3 inches of soil. Within a week to ten days, the potato plants should be up above ground level. If the temperature dips below freezing after the potatoes are up, cover the young plants to prevent freezing. If the plants are froze off, they will come up again from below the soil level.

Following this procedure and having our adequate moisture supply should allow us to have tender garden grown potatoes earlier in the year.

This page was last updated April 2003

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