My last potato sprouted in the pantry. I didn't want to waste it so I decided to try to make more potatoes. Usually I just plug them into an unused spot in the garden and keep adding straw mulch while they grow, then eventually pull the mulch off the mature plants and pick up potatoes. When the grandkids were small and I wielded the rake and the grandkids did the hunt and pick into baskets it was like an Easter egg hunt. I'm out of straw and don't want to buy more til fall but I do have a bunch of potting soil that I haven't used and a big, empty pot, so I figured I'd put them to use.
First I hosed off the big pot and put it where I wanted it to grow. It'll get morning sun and open shade the rest of the day and will be convenient to water while not being in the way.
Then I put a big pot shard over the drain hole and added a thick layer of potting soil, nestling the potato into the center with most of the eye sprouts facing (more or less) up.
More potting soil, burying the potato by about 2 or 3 inches so it's comfy and can start really growing.
Next water, a lot! If you use fresh from the store potting soil you won't have this problem, but mine was REALLY dry so I had to soak it til it floated, let it drain while I watered the garden, then watered it well again before going inside to do other stuff for a while. After a couple hours I went back out to deal with the corn on the side of the house and soaked the pot again. This time it floated less and soaked more thoroughly. Now to wait for the sprouts to emerge, let it grow a bit and keep adding potting soil as it grows. I'll update as I go.
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