If I Plant 10 Pounds of Seed Potatoes How Many Will I End Up With? Is probably what a normal person would ask. But if I start with 90 pounds of seed potatoes, how many pounds do you think I will end up with? Anyone want to guess?
But I’m pretty sure the chit is going to hit the fan tonight when the Handsome Husband gets home because I ended up buying 90 pounds of seed potatoes. Clearly, I should be able to donate a few boatloads to the Plant a Row for the Hungry program by the end of summer and still have plenty left over to feed my family.
I hope. I mean, do you think I bought enough?
Here are the 5 potato varieties I’ll be growing this year:
- 15 Pounds Yukon Gold
- 15 Pounds All Blue
- 20 Pounds French Fingerling
- 20 Pounds Red Pontiac
- 20 pounds Russet
In my opinion, kitchen tables are highly overrated. That’s what I’m going to tell the Handsome Husband when he comes home from work and finds the floor full of seed potatoes and the kitchen table missing.
If you have any other “words” I can use to help him from hauling me off to the loony bin after he sees the potato bomb that has gone off in our kitchen {and will stay that way for the next few days}, please leave them in the comment section below.
I think I’m going to need them. A man can only take so much after all.
~Mavis
Judy N. says
my question is..do you really need 90 pounds of seed potato..I mean are you going to feed the entire country of Ireland?? LOL
Plus doesn’t spending the money on that many pounds of seed potato defeat the whole purpose of feeding the family on a $100 a month? of course you could set up a road side stand and sell the potato’s? That would substantiate the Overage..LOL
I have to admit, I love your sense of Adventure. Never a Dull moment with You!!
Mavis says
Hi Judy, I’m growing food for the food banks and shelters this year. 🙂 My family will only keep a small portion of the food. 🙂
Nancy W says
I was going to guess at least 900 pounds of potatoes! Homegrown potatoes are the best!
Lisa says
Will anything surprise him anymore? He married you, so he must have known what he was getting into, right?! lol
Mavis says
I think it was more of an adapt to survive type of thing on his part. 😉
Knitting with Olof says
LOL you are awesome! Potatoes are awesome. Just make sure your soil is nice and loose for them to really expand in the ground.
I have a question. I’m starting my first chicken coop and I was wondering where you got yours and how much it cost you. It looks francy (that is what my husband and I say when we think something looks nice so it must cost too much).
Mavis says
Omlet.com 🙂
Knitting with Olof says
Yep I was right it´s Francy! LOL
Pat Giaquinta says
Oh, oh ~ I may be in trouble too ~ I have 75 lbs. of seed potatoes that will be coming around the end of March. Let me know how your husband reacts and what story you used to pacify him because I may have to use the same story (if I haven’t thought up my own by the time the taters are delivered).
crlzmmr says
Tell him they are for the goat.
After he exhaused himself yelling
about why he is not allowing you to have a goat
you tell him you were just joking.
He will be so relieved that you are not getting a goat
he will go to bed early (because of his raging headache)
and you will have another 8 hours to think up a good story
about the potatoes.
Madam Chow says
This is an excellent idea.
Kathryn A says
Which can be used for many, many purposes….
Penelope says
Yeah, use that goat story… I’m gonna keep it in reserve for myself.
Desi says
That won’t work for me, my hubby has wanted a goat for years now.
Michele says
You’ll need a cellar to store ALL of them in, that much I know! 🙂
IC says
I usually keep about 150 lbs. of potatoes in the garage in the winter and they’re fine in thick brown paper bags.
Jesse says
I don’t understand why they are all laid out?
I plant about 50 pounds of seed potatoes a year and they usually go straigt from the bag to the ground. What are you up to?
By the way, I love the goat diversion story. I think that is the way to go.
Bob says
I think she is pre-sprouting them.
Cecily says
I planted 5 pounds last year and harvested 90 pounds. So if I’ve done the math right you could end up with…….1620 pounds!!!!!!!! For your family of four thats over a pound per person every day. I hope you really LOVE potatoes!
Tali says
Was nice knowing ya……:)
Random Person Named Melissa says
Are you going to plant them in the ground or be creative?
*cough* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeH9uqqG-oU&list=PLy8L53WO7Obf22jQJOtVer9WC-xJFOXws
Mavis says
Cough cough, you’ll just have to wait and see. 🙂
Kathryn A says
I’m so glad you wrote this post. I’ve spent all day thinking “what the h— is a seed potato?” Now I can rest. (You, on the other hand- need to get planting.)
Mavis says
Ha! 🙂
Laura at TenThingsFarm says
Our many years of planting average out to about 12 pounds of harvest for every pound planted. There is some variation depending on all the variables of any given growing season.
Another question I have is this: Do you count the cost of all those seed potatoes when you figure your $100 a month?
Mavis says
You can read about my garden budget here: http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/2013/01/mavis-garden-blog-sorting-seeds/
Lisa says
I get a 10 pound bag of potatoes at the grocery store for less than $2. Is it really worth while to grow your own?
MaMaLaLa says
I was wondering the same thing. I like to grow items that are high priced in the grocery store. I guess some of the potatoes are more expensive- like fingerling potatoes. I have an issue with storing potatoes. They always sprout really fast- wish I had a cellar.
IC says
Potatoes are a high spray crop. Lots of sprays and even chemicals to keep them from sprouting. It is worth it to get the organic ones that cost more or to grow them yourself.
Cecily says
Totally worth it. You get to grow unusual varieties and harvest the little “gourmet” new potatoes that can cost up to $8 a pound in the store.
Erica says
It’s worth it. I was buying the cheap bulk bags of potatoes from the grocery store. Last year started buying Kennebec potatoes from the farmers market. THE BEST EVER! It just clicked in me that things really can taste different grown in your backyard. Growing my own this year.
Julie says
Where do you buy your seed potatoes?
Mavis says
I purchased mine locally at a Watson’s greenhouse and nursery. There are many retailers online though. 🙂
jubob says
we just ordered 50 lbs of red pontiac seed potatoes and 10 lbs of onion sets. we are so excited. and 2 sweet potatoes that we are going to try to get to sprout for our new “let’s try to grow these” for this season. our children and grandchildren love them so we’ll see how it goes. good luck with your potatoes and hh
Pam says
Mavis: I’m loving that free Kindle book that you found, “Garden Imperative”. The author talks about the GPI (Garden Productivity Index) and calculates that potatoes will supply 279 calories per pound. Using Laura’s estimate, if you grow 12 pounds of potatoes for each pound planted, you could grow over 300,000 calories (12 x 90 x 279) worth of potatoes this year!
Mari says
I hope you have got varieties that mature at different rates or you are going to have one hell of a lot of potatoes ready at the same time. Did you make sure of that??
I notice you seem to plant a lot of veges just once and have a glut of them. I do small successive plantings all year around and eat mainly fresh veges and avoid gluts of one crop. Saves a lot of freezing or bottling of veges.
OK! I am only a Kiwi from the other side of the world, but here is how I do it.
I plant 1-2kg of an early cropper first then stagger plantings of potatoes over the next 4 months depending on their maturity time. These early ones are ready in about 8-10 weeks and harvested as the first new spuds. At the same time I plant my next cropper which will be ready in 10-12 weeks, then I do subsequent plantings of different varieties planting my last, but main crop here in January (July for u northerners). This way we eat from the ground all thru late spring and summer/autumn, with my main storage crop being ready to removed from the ground for storage in May (your Nov). This way I have spuds to last us all year round. I store my spuds in boxes or bags in our garage basement over winter. As long as they are kept out of frost or snow and in a reasonably constant temperature, they will keep all winter into spring.
I usually plant a few in bins in my greenhouse as August (Feb) but my first ones go in the garden in late Sept (late March) with a protective frost covering against early frosts.
Sherry says
Well, Mavis, you could use the one my husband uses on me: “I could be sitting in a bar somewhere instead of…”
Becky says
um if you get 6 eyes per spud and cut them as a plant and each plant is 2-6 lbs each…….
suzanne says
I wonder if you can -can potatoes? Maybe under pressure as they’re not acidic. Must google now.
TINA says
Suzanne, you absolutely can! Look in the Ball Blue Book
Johnny Coleman says
We pressure can Kennebec and Red Pontiac potatoes. They are great. Just dump out the water, dump the potato chunks in the sauce pan. Bring to a boil. drain water, add whole milk, salt, pepper and butter. Mash ’em up good skins and all. I can taste them now.
TINA says
Mavis, did you know you can pressure can potatoes? I canned some up this past fall for the first time and they are AWESOME! Plus, a great “convenience” food that I pull out of my own pantry. I am definitely canning as much as I’m able to this coming fall.
Desi says
My sister in law makes Stew and pressure cans it. She uses potatoes, carrots, onions. Then just open it and yummy!
Jess says
I have always canned potatoes as did my grandmother. I use them in soups, stews, etc. I also can stews and veggie soups using my garden produce (including potatoes). I use the pressure canning method to can them (as well as all my foods). You need to be sure to remove the peels and all spots.
Barb Poposky says
Mavis, I will be facing the Bear-ski here if he counts the cardboard tubes filled with seed starting mix & seeds on the fireplace mantel. I have 10 varieties of peppers in those tubes as of this evening; @ 5 plants per variety, that makes 60 toilet paper tube plant starting cups.
Of course, the dirt will really be flung if all 60 plants vrow & thrive :-0
Barb P.
Maggie says
My mother-in-law taught me how to plant potatoes and it works….Cut up your potatoes with chunky eyes, lay them out (much like you have them laid out on your floor), on the top of the ground. You do not even have to dig up the grass!
Just lay them out on the ground and cover them with 18 inches of hay or straw. Water them like you normally would.. The green tops will come through the hay and cover the top of the hay nicely. When the green tops all turn brown, rake the hay back and harvest your potatoes.
It takes about the same amount of time to grow but a lot less work! If your nervous about doing 90 pounds this way, just do a corner somewhere in the yard and try it. 🙂
sharon says
I have really hard clay that doesnt drain well. Do you think this would work?Or anyone have any ideas?
Dena says
I’d be willing to buy some off of you as I usually get my seed potatoes at the Cenex in Burley since I’m in the north Rosedale area. Last year I raised all the types you purchased in four plastic garbage & a truck bed liner, all in Tagro. Harvested them & still have potatoes to eat in the garage. One of my neighbors thinks I’m nuts, but she said she was getting her husband to prep a plastic garbage can for her this year. The extremes to which we go ……
Julie says
Yes you can pressure can potatoes and they are the best! We did a box or two last year. Cut the potatoes into chunks – doon’t even peel them. Pack them in quart jars, cover with water, but in a Tablespoon of salt. Seal lids. and can.
Very easy for a meal to open a jar – the potatoes are already cooked. Lay them on a baking sheet with a litle oil or butter. Put under the broiler for a few minutes or bake. They are easy and great! Enjoy.
Anne-Marie Bilella says
Thank you for giving me a great laugh this morning! 😀
I love your posts!!! I am going to try potatoes this year but not in this hard, Georgia clay, did not have good luck with that. The tower method or with hay on top seems to be the way to go. But why do you have them all laid out, do they have to hang out awhile before going in the ground? Also do you cut them up before planting?
Mavis says
I like them to get a few “sprouts” on them first. There are a hundred different ways to plant potatoes. 🙂 I will cut the larger ones and do a full picture post when I plant them. Stay tuned.
bonnie fuentevilla says
My potato seedlings are due any day. My husband gave up the idea of a sit dowm meal at the table, weeks ago ( seed trays ) so, I leave the t.v. on with a sport station and lure him into the family room. I feed him there too. If anything, I’m saving him a trip.
heather says
I went to Watson’s and got my potatoes… blues and fingerlings. I was going through the last of my baby reds I grew and a found a couple sprouting which will be added to the group.
I love your blog. I try some of your recipes which are now family favorites! And now our goal is to grow 500# of food on property which is considerably smaller than yours but a good challenge!
Thank you for sharing your adventures! I look forward to seeing how you plant your potatoes… We are building several towers and planting some in the ground. Last year I had room in the garden and planted some potatoes I was going to throw away… and had quite a nice little harvest!
I hope one day to meet you! Maybe I will have to offer to buy you Panera… 🙂
Mavis says
Yay! I’m glad you went to Watson’s and got some spuds. Email later this summer once your garden is up and growing and if I’m in your area I might stop by for a garden tour. 🙂
sarah says
I have no idea what you’re talking about. There is a table here and no potato’s on the floor. you need your eyes checked.
Juli says
You mentioned last year making potato towers, planting in a barrel and planting traditionally in the ground. Which method worked best for you? I am interested in starting to garden and my family loves some potatoes!
Mavis says
My vote is for in the ground. But I am trying it both ways again this year. 🙂
Lori says
I see you harvested 328 pounds (last year). Did you keep track how many pounds of potatoes you planted?
Terri says
I was wondering, how many pounds of potatoes would my husband and I need for one year? Buying some from a farm and not sure how much to stock up for…
Calamitu Jane says
Greetings Mavis. Until today I had never heard of you, stumbled upon your site accidentally and am an instant fan and supporter of all you are sharing. Thank you! Im inspired by youre achievements in gardening for the masses and bartering for our ,um, *sses. Lol. You rock. Hope this thread hasnt been abandoned… me: day late, nickel short.
Jamie says
Lort… Its 2022 and I googled… “how much will 52 pounds of seed potatoes yeild” and I got your story. Can we be friends LOL! Sooo… how many pounds of tater did you end up with? I don’t have a goat diversion. My only hope is that my husband works so much that he is too tired to notice the huge potato towers I erected in the middle of the back yard? If I have to do with a diversion…it will be…
See hubby? There is less grass for you to mow now, and more time to sip sweet tea on the porch while admiring the bountiful view????
I got ..alot…and was contemplating getting more. (I might be in trouble….I don’t know yields)
10 pounds German butter ball
20 pounds Canella Russet
10 burbank russets
10 french fingerlings