Benefits of Certified Seed Potatoes

• Purchase certified seed potatoes for reassurance that your crop will have less risk of disease problems. Potatoes are subject to infection with bacterial, fungal and viral infections, many of which render the tubers inedible. Another benefit to certified seed potatoes is that they have not been treated with a growth retardant like supermarket potatoes (to prevent sprouting in storage), which ensures that you achieve maximum yield.
  
  

Availability of Certified Seed Potatoes

• In addition to being safe and capable of producing excellent results, certified seed potatoes are also readily available for purchase. Visit garden centers and nurseries during the spring planting season to choose from their selection. Some hardware and grocery stores may even carry them. Call first to inquire to save yourself a wasted trip.
  
  

Using Ordinary Potatoes for Growing

• If you choose to start a crop from your kitchen stock instead of purchased seed potatoes, inspect your ordinary potatoes carefully. Look for signs of rot or bugs. Choose potatoes with eyes, and plant either whole potatoes or pieces, as long as each portion planted has at least one eye.
  
  

Helpful Growing Tecniques

• Learn growing techniques to prevent common potato problems that your ordinary kitchen potatoes may not be resistant to. For the fungal infection potato scab, for instance, keep the soil at a pH of around 5.0 and moist enough to encourage growth of harmless, moisture loving bacteria that will fight the potato scab bacteria. Avoid adding rotten or scabby peels or potato pieces to your compost if you use it to fertilize your garden.