Seed Potatoes

[Misky]

A chap at my local has given me some seed potatoes, as he knows I grow potatoes in big pots every years. I usually buy them in around February/March and plant them after chitting in April/May. He's given me these ones, wrapped in newspapers so I can store them, but left before I could ask him what I should do with them! I guess I'll be able to see when they're ready to plant, but how will I know when they're ready to take out of the newspaper?
He's a queer soul, once on a night out with the girls I came home with a bag of courgettes...

[Clanad]

Just leave them wrapped and stored in a dark cool place until you're ready to plant them. When ready, cut the potatos in at least quarters assuring each piece has an "eye" in it. If they are fairly large, you can cut them smaller that quarters, just so there's an eye in each one.
If kept in to warm of a place, they will start to sprout... which is OK... plant the sprout when you're ready.
Soil temperature above 50 degrees (F) is best...

[Misky]

Thanks for that Clanad, so there's no particular timescale so long as they're well wrapped up? I've never cut the potatoes up before planting before.... I'll see how big they are when I unwrap them. Thanks again.

[Clanad]

For my garden, the wrapping of the seed potatoes is superfluous... I just put mine in a 'gunny sack"... a burlap bag to let them have cool air. I store ours in the basement in a cool, dry and dark corner. For sure, don't wash them or otherwise get them wet...

[Misky]

I don't know what I'd have done if he had walked past my table and left a "gunny sack" on it - it was queer enough a large newspaper parcel nearly knocking my drink over! I know where to keep them and how now - thank you very much.