Questions about saving potatoes for replanting

[M.SeanF.]

I just harvested my first crop of fingerlings. I hadn't planned on growing any this year, but some sprouted reds that I planted as gopher bait really thrived. So, I went down to the local nursery and bought about 2.5 pounds of assorted fingerlings. Mostly La Ratte, German Butterball, and Vienna Crescent, along with a couple of pinks and a few purple. I planted them in all the bare spots in my gopher wired raised beds just to see what would happen.

As you can see from the picture they did pretty well, considering the late planting and early heat that did them in. Since my goal was to produce "seed" potatoes for next year I consider it a success.

Here are my questions:

How do I store them until replanting next year?

I'd like to cut some of the largest tubers into pieces. How big should the pieces be? Should I do it now, or just before planting?

Will the smallest, pea-sized potatoes produce smaller plants next spring?

I've heard you shouldn't eat green potatoes, but I would assume they are fine for planting. Are they?

Thanks for any insight you can give me.

Sean

[berryman]

Those look nice Sean, I would be tempted to eat some.
Cool and dark for storage and don't cut them till just before planting or maybe a week before. Some of them will want to sprout but when mine do, I just plant the whole thing and they do fine.

[wmontanez]

To answer your question: Store it in a cool place, stores best at higher humidity and diffuse light.

Don't cut the tubers now. Seed of 2in is good size to keep.

pea size can produce plants. Those I store in a zip-lock bag sealed inside the refrigerator if needed. The small pea size tend to dehydrate faster

Green potatoes are safe to plant.

[M.SeanF.]

Thank you both for your help. I've cleaned them and have them spread in a single layer on a shady table. I'm checking everyday for soft or damaged tubers(just a few so far). Tonight I'm roasting a sample medley for dinner.

Sean

[clkeiper]

wow! those are beautiful. well done.

[PhilaGardener]

Nice crop!

[M.SeanF.]

Thanks for the praise.

The La Ratte and Vienna Crescents were hands down the best tasting, followed by the purple fleshed, then the two pinks. I roasted them with olive oil and sea salt. I think the pinks would be better boiled or steamed and used for salad. I think I'll try that with some of the ones that are too small to store.

[yardn_gardn]

Some of the information I read about saving spuds to grow said to allow them to turn green before putting them in storage. It had something to do with keeping them from rotting. It seemed to work. I was able to store them in less than ideal conditions, and my family and I are eating them this season! Good luck. Let us know how it goes for you too.

[Black Krim]

As for the green skin and eating. I recall a lecture in Foods at ag college discussing just this. The professors actually ate the green potatoes as an experiment. Yup. Made them feel ill. Don't remember the details. But not more than stomachs ache and GI issues. Bottomline. Not poisonous.

But not recommended for eating either!