“What makes potatoes
start sprouting? Are they okay to eat?” If you’ve left a bag of potatoes sitting
around for a while, you might have noticed them starting to grow green, white,
or somewhat purple sprouts. That’s the potato trying to grow into a new plant.
The sprouts
themselves, as well as any green part of the potato, are home to a toxic
alkaloid called solanine and must be removed. Eating them will make you sick -
the National Library of Medicine even has a page on their website devoted to potato plant poisoning – though
it would take quite a few to do it. The solanine gives the potato a bitter
taste, so it wouldn’t be worth eating anyway.
As long as the
sprouted potatoes are still firm and haven’t started to shrivel up, there’s no
reason to throw them away. Once the sprouts and any green part of the potato
have been removed, it’s safe to eat.
You can also plant your
sprouted potatoes, though The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith recommends
using seed potatoes (which are available from garden supply stores and were
grown for the express purpose of being planted) rather than supermarket
potatoes for gardening.
To inhibit sprouting and keep your potatoes in their best condition, store them in a cool, dark, dry place with ample ventilation.
For more information on growing potatoes, check out Food Grown Right, in Your Backyard, by Colin McCrate and Brad Halm, Ortho's Complete Guide to Vegetables, or The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour, available at the Newton Falls Public Library. If you're looking to learn about the potato's history, Andrew F. Smith's Potato: A Global History, John Reader's Potato: A History of the Propitious Esculent, and Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-eye View of the World are all available through CLEVNET. For recipes, we have Kay Halsey's Potatoes on the shelf here at Newton Falls. Or you could order Alex Barker's Potato: The Definitive Guide to Potatoes and Potato Cooking through CLEVNET and get information on potato cooking, gardening, and history.
To inhibit sprouting and keep your potatoes in their best condition, store them in a cool, dark, dry place with ample ventilation.
For more information on growing potatoes, check out Food Grown Right, in Your Backyard, by Colin McCrate and Brad Halm, Ortho's Complete Guide to Vegetables, or The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour, available at the Newton Falls Public Library. If you're looking to learn about the potato's history, Andrew F. Smith's Potato: A Global History, John Reader's Potato: A History of the Propitious Esculent, and Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-eye View of the World are all available through CLEVNET. For recipes, we have Kay Halsey's Potatoes on the shelf here at Newton Falls. Or you could order Alex Barker's Potato: The Definitive Guide to Potatoes and Potato Cooking through CLEVNET and get information on potato cooking, gardening, and history.
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