This Gardener Figured Out How to Propagate Potatoes from Store-Bought Spuds
Updated: May 26, 2021
You can grow spuds in the garden—and it's surprisingly easy to learn how. This TikTok gardener will explain it all.
TikTok has schooled us on quite a bit, even teaching us things we didn’t even know we needed to know! You know, like how to properly clean dishwasher filters and the fastest way to hang up your clothes. It’s important stuff!
Now, if you’re a vegetable gardener that wants a ready supply of potatoes (who doesn’t?), TikTok has a trick for you. This is how to propagate potatoes the easy way.
How to Propagate Potatoes
This advice comes from TikTok gardener @rachel_loaf. It’s super simple, so even if you’re a vegetable gardening rookie, she’ll get you set on the right path. A path with an endless amount of potatoes!
The process is easier than you think. First, grab a potato that has started to sprout. Rach says you can either bury the entire potato as is, or you can cut the sprouts into individual pieces.
@rachel_loafReply to @stefsex it’s really easy I swear
If you separate the sprouts, she recommends leaving them out to dry for a few days so they don’t start to mold. Rach planted her potatoes in normal soil with organic fertilizer and worm castings. Cover the sprouts with soil, water twice a day for a few months, and suddenly you’ll have so many potatoes, you won’t know what to do with them!
She ended up with about six pounds of potatoes.
@rachel_loafIf you’re a potato farmer please don’t lecture me about how I should’ve harvested these I’m learning ok?? #tipsandtricks #ecohacks #howto♬ Baby Elephant Walk – Henry Mancini
Find more raised bed garden tips from a pro.
Can I Plant Store-Bought Potatoes?
You can—and this TikTok gardener did. But typically, gardeners plant seed potatoes. The name is a bit misleading—potatoes don’t actually grow from seeds, but rather sprouts from an already grown and ripened potato. Because grocery store potatoes are often treated with growth inhibitors, they don’t often form natural sprouts. But it you have a sprouted potato in the pantry, go ahead and plant it!
In no time, you’ll have potatoes straight from the garden.
Potato Recipes Perfect for Summer
Patriotic Potatoes with Mustard SauceShow your true spirit with a bowl of red, white and blue potatoes dressed with bacon and sour cream. They’re tops in my hit parade of patriotic dishes. —Julie Murphy, Peachtree City, Georgia
Sweet Potato & Chickpea SaladTake this colorful dish to the buffet at a family gathering, or enjoy it as a great meal all by itself. —Brenda Gleason, Hartland, Wisconsin
Contest-Winning Chocolate Potato CakeI won grand champion honors in a potato festival baking contest with this moist chocolate cake. The icing recipe can be doubled if you have a real sweet tooth. —Catherine Hahn, Winamac, Indiana
Crispy Smashed PotatoesGolden brown and buttery, these crispy smashed potatoes live up to their tantalizing name. A sprinkle of fresh herbs when they’re hot out of the oven maximizes the flavor…and the pretty. —Althea Dye, Howard, Ohio
Red, White & Blue Potato SaladTossing the cooked potatoes with stock and wine right after you drain them infuses them with flavor. The liquid absorbs like magic. —George Levinthal, Goleta, California
Jalapeno & Cotija Cheese Potato Stack PiePie isn't just for dessert anymore. Stacking thinly sliced potatoes with layers of minced jalapenos and crumbled Cotija cheese helps turn ordinary spuds into something truly spectacular—especially when served with salsa and sour cream. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Fresh Corn & Potato ChowderThis corn chowder recipe was one of my favorites as a child in upstate New York, and I still love it today. For extra depth, place the spent cob in the soup, simmer, then remove. —Tracy Bivins, Knob Noster, Missouri
Creamed Garden Potatoes and PeasNew potatoes and peas are treated to a creamy sauce for this special side. —Jane Uphoff, Cunningham, Kansas
Hawaiian HashI like the combination of ginger, pineapple and macadamia nuts. This dish brings back memories of an island vacation.—Roxanne Chan, Albany, California
Sweet Potato Crab CakesMild sweet potato flavor and a chipotle kick complement the fresh crab in these hearty cakes. Serve them with your favorite mayo or aioli sauce. —Robert Bosley, Pacific, Washington
Tzatziki Potato SaladMy son has an egg allergy, so this potato salad is perfect for him. For extra color, add radish, apple and garlic dill pickles. —Cindy Romberg, Mississauga, Ontario
BBQ Chicken Waffle FriesThis is one of those dishes that sounds so wrong but tastes so right! Trust me—barbecue chicken leftovers are fantastic with the fries. We like it with lettuce, tomato and pickle, but you can add almost any toppings you like. —Janet Telleen, Russell, Iowa
Twice-Baked Red PotatoesBefore my baby was born, I was in nesting mode and made lots of freezable recipes like these creamy red potatoes. The yogurt is a healthy swap for sour cream. —Valerie Cox, Secretary, Maryland
Green Bean and Potato SaladFor family reunions, my mom would make everybody's favorite green bean and potato salad. Now I'm the one who brings it. —Connie Dicavoli, Shawnee, Kansas
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Gorgonzola SpreadMy husband first tried this recipe with plain potatoes. They were so yummy; we experimented with sweet potatoes. Dipped in Gorgonzola spread, they’re irresistible. —Kristen Minello, Macomb, Michigan
Steak & New Potato TossI usually use leftover barbecued steak to make this fabulous main dish salad. It's pretty, too, with the red pepper, green broccoli and white potatoes. —Deyanne Davies, Rossland, British Columbia
Taco Tater SkinsI wanted to make a version of these with ingredients most people have on hand. We make a meal out of these skins, but they're also great for parties as appetizers. —Phyllis Douglas, Fairview, Michigan
Indian Ginger PotatoesThis easy ginger potato dish is so flavorful. Make it even faster by cooking the potatoes ahead of time or using leftover potatoes. —Erin Kelkar, Norcross, Georgia
Mexican Roasted Potato SaladMy husband is the No. 1 fan of this south-of-the-border potato salad. The leftovers make an awesome late-night snack, straight from the fridge. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Pesto GnocchiPerk up gnocchi and vegetables with a flavorful pesto sauce. If you don't have pine nuts to top the pesto gnocchi, skip or substitute any nut you like. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Campfire Cheese Hash Brown PacketsDining by the campfire? This easy packet of potatoes, bacon and cheese makes a terrific hash. We like to serve it with eggs and fresh pico de gallo. —Gina Nistico, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Originally Published: May 26, 2021
