Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Germinate the potatoes
• Method 2 of 2: Plant the germinated potatoes
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

You can grow potatoes indoors all year round if you have a sunny window frame or grow lights. Potatoes are a great source of nutrients and can be stored for a long time after you harvest them.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Germinate the potatoes

1. Buy seed potatoes with many eyelets. The eyes of the potatoes are the small spots on the skin; these are the parts that sprout. A potato with 6 or 7 eyes can yield 900 grams of potatoes. If you want to grow more than that, buy at least 5 seed potatoes.
2. Scrub the dirt off the potatoes. Wipe the potatoes under the tap with a vegetable brush. Then you also remove leftover pesticides if you have not bought organic potatoes.
3. Fill a wide glass jar with water. The opening of the pot should be wide enough for the potato with toothpicks to rest on it.
4. Cut the potato in half. Be careful not to cut through an eye or it won't germinate. You may need to quarter large potatoes to fit the opening of the pot.
5. Insert four toothpicks 1/4 into the potato. Place the toothpicks evenly and about halfway between the cutting edge and the top of the potato.
6. Place the potato on top of the pot. Rest the toothpicks on the rim of the jar. Reposition the toothpicks if the potato does not sit properly on the pot. Make sure all eyes are under water or they won't germinate.
7. Place the pot in a sunny spot. A window on the south side of the house is perfect. You can also place the pot under grow lights.
8. Change the water in the pot if it gets cloudy. Add water if necessary so that the eyelets remain submerged.
9. When the roots have sprouted, repot the potato to a container of soil. Usually it takes a week before the germs are visible.

Method 2 of 2: Plant the germinated potatoes

1. Choose a deep container with drainage holes. If you're not using a new tray, wash and rinse thoroughly before planting the potatoes.
2. Put some small stones on the bottom of the container so that the water can flow away better.
3. Fill the pot 2/3 full with potting compost. You will add even more soil as the plant grows, so don't overfill the container yet.
4. Place the potatoes root down in the soil, 15 cm apart. Do not put potatoes against the edge of the container.
5. Cover the potatoes with a layer of soil 5 to 8 cm thick.
6. Water the potatoes a lot.
7. Add more soil when the plant is 6 inches above the soil. When the stem reaches the edge of the container, put a small pile of soil around the plant.
8. Harvest the potatoes when you see small tubers on the stems; these tubers are not edible, because sunlight produces toxins in the potato plant, but they serve as a sign that the potatoes under the ground (that have not had sunlight) are ready to harvest
   • Carefully dig into the soil with a small shovel.
   • Pull the potatoes out of the soil.
   • Rinse them well before preparing them.

Tips

• Enrich your potting soil with organic compost before planting the potatoes.
• Water the potato plant regularly; keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet.
• If you use grow lights, turn them on for at least 10 hours a day; you want to simulate natural sunlight as closely as possible.
• Keep your potato harvest going by planting a new batch every 3 to 4 weeks.

Warnings

• Potato beetles can only be a pest if you grow potatoes outside. Your plants can get aphids indoors, but you can get rid of them by spraying the plant with a mixture of water and mild washing-up liquid. Simply put a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle.
• If you are planting a potato that you bought at the supermarket, rinse it very well first. It often contains agents that slow down growth, so if you don't rinse them off, the potato will not sprout.
• Keep your harvested potatoes in a cool, dry place or they will rot quickly. If you don't have a basement, put them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.

Necessities

• Seed potatoes
• Deep container
• Potting soil
• Compost
• Small garden trowel
• Glass jar with wide opening
• Toothpicks