From the Garden: Sow Your Own

Fresh, home harvested vegetables not only taste better, but they are also chock-full of nutrients. Why not grow your own? Cultivate hardy, versatile vegetables by planting organic seed potatoes from Montana-based grower Holbrook Seed Potatoes and local producers Irish Eyes Garden Seeds, based in Ellensburg, WA.

The Co-op Garden Center currently stocks over a dozen types of seed crops, including onion starters and seed potatoes. Styles and prices are available while supplies last, and we offer a handful of onion starts, including Walla Walla Sweet, Cipollini, and more. We offer nearly a dozen types of seed potatoes, such as Russet Burbank, Kennebec, and German Butterball. Seed potato prices vary from $1.49 - $3.99 per pound.

In general, the term "seed potatoes" can be a bit misleading. Although potato plants do set seed, they do not grow true to seed. Instead, potatoes thrive vegetatively, meaning they reproduce from a re-planting of the actual potato. These pieces of potato are called "seed potatoes."

Tips For Success with Seed Potatoes

You can plant whole potatoes or pieces with multiple eyes, but in general: more eyes per piece can indicate more, but smaller potatoes; whereas one or two eyes per piece can result in fewer, but larger potatoes and can be cut into pieces, as long as the pieces have at least one eye each. An "eye" is a bud that grows into a new plant. If you've ever kept your potatoes in the cabinet too long, you've probably seen them sprout. If you want to cut seed potatoes before planting, cut them two days prior to planting.

For more information on planting seed potatoes, check out this potato growing guide from Irish Eyes Seeds.