Last spring, I planted six sprouting russet potatoes from my pantry into a simple container on my apartment balcony. Three months later, I harvested over 15 pounds of fresh potatoes – enough for several meals and a powerful reminder that food production doesn’t require expensive supplies or expansive space.

Yes, you absolutely can grow potatoes from the grocery store. This simple act of transformation – turning what might have been food waste into a productive garden – is one of the most accessible ways to start growing your own food, regardless of your living situation or gardening experience.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to turn ordinary grocery store potatoes into a rewarding harvest, whether you have a spacious yard or just a small balcony. I’ll share which potatoes work best, how to prepare them, and the simplest growing methods that deliver results without specialized equipment or extensive gardening knowledge.

Can Grocery Store Potatoes Actually Grow? Myth vs. Reality

Despite what you might have heard, most grocery store potatoes can indeed grow into productive plants. Every potato contains growth points called “eyes” – those small indentations where sprouts emerge. These eyes are essentially dormant buds waiting for the right conditions to grow.

The confusion about growing store-bought potatoes stems from two main factors:

1. Sprout inhibitors: Many conventional potatoes are treated with sprout inhibitors to extend shelf life. While these treatments can delay sprouting, they don’t permanently prevent it. Given enough time, most treated potatoes will eventually sprout.

2. Disease concerns: Commercial potatoes aren’t certified disease-free like specialized seed potatoes. However, for home gardeners, this rarely causes significant problems, especially when growing in containers with fresh soil.

In my experience testing dozens of store varieties, organic potatoes typically sprout faster and more vigorously than conventional ones, but both can produce healthy plants. If your potato has started sprouting in your pantry, it’s already overcome any growth inhibitors and is ready to grow.

How to Select the Best Grocery Potatoes for Growing

Not all grocery store potatoes make equally good candidates for growing. Here’s what to look for:

Best choices:

• Potatoes showing signs of sprouting (small purple or white bumps emerging from the eyes)
• Firm potatoes with multiple eyes
• Organic varieties (they typically sprout more readily)
• Full-sized potatoes rather than “baby” varieties

Varieties that grow well from grocery sources:

• Russet potatoes (excellent yields and widely available)
• Red potatoes (typically vigorous growers with shorter maturity time)
• Yukon Gold (reliable producers with excellent flavor)
• Purple or blue varieties (often sprout readily and add garden diversity)

Avoid potatoes that:

• Show signs of mold or soft spots
• Are heavily wrinkled and dehydrated
• Have been refrigerated (cold temperatures can trigger unhealthy sweetening)
• Are green-tinged (indicates solanine, which you don’t want to propagate)

If you’re purchasing potatoes specifically for growing, choose organic when possible. If you’re using potatoes you already have, simply select the healthiest-looking specimens with the most eyes.

Preparing Grocery Store Potatoes for Planting: The Chitting Process

Before planting, it’s beneficial to “chit” your potatoes – a process of pre-sprouting that gives your plants a head start and ensures viable growth. Here’s how:

1. Place selected potatoes in a shallow tray – An egg carton works perfectly to keep potatoes upright.

2. Position with most eyes facing upward – This encourages stronger, more abundant sprouting.

3. Keep in indirect light at room temperature – A bright windowsill out of direct sunlight is ideal.

4. Wait for strong sprouts to develop – Look for stubby, green or purple sprouts about ½-inch long. This typically takes 2-3 weeks.

For larger potatoes (bigger than an egg), you can increase your yield by cutting them into pieces after chitting:

1. Ensure each piece has at least 2-3 good sprouts or eyes
2. Cut with a clean knife, creating chunks about 2 inches across
3. Allow cut surfaces to dry and “heal” for 24-48 hours before planting
4. If you see any eyes without sprouts after cutting, they’ll likely develop once planted

The chitting process is successful when you see multiple short, sturdy sprouts. Avoid letting sprouts grow too long and spindly before planting, as they may break easily.

How to Grow Store Potatoes in Containers (Perfect for Small Spaces)

Container growing is ideal for apartment dwellers, renters, and gardeners with limited space. It also allows for better control over soil quality and makes harvesting remarkably easy.

The Bucket Method:

1. Select a container at least 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide with drainage holes
2. Add 4 inches of potting mix mixed with compost to the bottom
3. Place 2-3 seed potato pieces, sprout side up, on the soil surface
4. Cover with 3 inches of soil mixture
5. As plants grow to 6 inches tall, add more soil, leaving the top few inches of plant exposed (this is called “hilling”)
6. Continue adding soil as plants grow until you reach 2 inches from the container rim

The Grow Bag Approach: Fabric grow bags offer excellent drainage and allow for easy harvesting:

1. Choose a 10-15 gallon grow bag (or use a heavy-duty garbage bag with drainage holes)
2. Follow the same planting steps as the bucket method
3. Position the bag where it will receive at least 6 hours of sunlight daily
4. For harvesting, simply dump out the entire bag onto a tarp

Vertical Tower for Maximum Yield:

1. Use a wire cylinder (2-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet diameter) lined with straw or landscape fabric
2. Fill the bottom 6 inches with soil mix
3. Place 4-5 seed potatoes on this layer
4. Cover with 4 inches of soil
5. As plants grow, continue adding soil layers and additional seed potatoes every 6-8 inches
6. For harvest, simply disassemble the tower and collect potatoes from all layers

For all container methods, use a well-draining potting mix with compost added. Avoid using garden soil in containers as it can compact and restrict growth.

Planting Grocery Store Potatoes in the Ground: 3 Easy Methods

If you have garden space, these in-ground methods can produce larger yields with less watering needed.

Traditional Trench Method:

1. Dig a trench 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide
2. Place seed potatoes 12 inches apart, sprout side up
3. Cover with 4 inches of soil initially
4. As plants grow to 6 inches tall, hill up soil around stems, leaving the top few inches exposed
5. Continue hilling periodically until you’ve created a ridge about 6 inches above ground level

Lazy Bed Approach (Easier on Your Back):

1. Instead of digging, place seed potatoes directly on prepared ground, 12 inches apart
2. Cover with 6 inches of compost-rich soil
3. Add a layer of straw or leaf mulch to conserve moisture
4. As plants grow, add additional layers of compost and mulch
5. This method requires less digging and is ideal for those with physical limitations

Raised Bed Adaptation:

1. Fill a raised bed with 4 inches of soil mix
2. Place seed potatoes on the surface, 12 inches apart
3. Cover with 4 inches of additional soil
4. Continue adding soil as plants grow, just as with other methods
5. The raised height makes maintenance and harvesting more accessible

For all in-ground methods, prepare soil by loosening it well and mixing in compost. Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.8-6.5) but will grow in most garden soils with good drainage.

Care Guide for Growing Store-Bought Potatoes

Proper care dramatically improves your harvest yield and potato quality.

Watering Requirements:

• Keep soil consistently moist but never soggy
• Provide about 1-2 inches of water weekly (more during hot periods)
• Reduce watering when plants begin to yellow and die back (indication that tubers are maturing)
• Common mistake: Inconsistent watering causes misshapen potatoes and reduced yields

Simple Organic Feeding:

• At planting: Mix compost into your soil (about 25% compost to 75% soil)
• When plants are 6 inches tall: Water with compost tea or apply fish emulsion
• When flowers appear: Side-dress with compost or apply balanced organic fertilizer
• Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers which promote lush foliage at the expense of tuber development

Hilling Techniques:

1. Begin hilling when plants reach 6-8 inches tall
2. Gently mound soil, compost, or straw around stems, leaving the top few inches of plant exposed
3. Repeat every 2-3 weeks as plants grow
4. Hilling prevents sunlight from reaching tubers (which causes greening) and increases harvest area

Common Issues and Organic Solutions:

• Colorado potato beetles: Hand-pick and drop in soapy water; apply diatomaceous earth
• Aphids: Spray with strong water stream or insecticidal soap solution
• Early blight (brown spots on lower leaves): Improve air circulation; remove and dispose of affected leaves
• Late blight (black spots, white mold): Remove affected plants completely; avoid overhead watering

Harvesting Potatoes Grown from Store-Bought Spuds

Knowing when and how to harvest significantly impacts your potato yield and quality.

When to Harvest:

• New potatoes (small, tender): 2-3 weeks after plants flower
• Main crop: 2-3 weeks after the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally
• For container growing: Wait until foliage is completely dead for maximum yield

Harvesting from Containers:

1. Lay out a tarp or large sheet
2. Carefully tip container on its side
3. Gently dump contents onto the tarp
4. Separate potatoes from soil with your hands
5. Allow potatoes to dry for 1-2 hours in indirect light

Harvesting from Ground:

1. Using a garden fork, start digging 12 inches from the plant stem
2. Lift soil gently to avoid puncturing tubers
3. Work in a circle around the plant, gradually moving inward
4. Feel through the soil carefully to find all potatoes
5. For raised beds or lazy beds, you may be able to simply pull back mulch and collect tubers

Maximizing Your Harvest:

• Harvest on a dry day for better storage potential
• Be thorough – even small potatoes make excellent seed potatoes for next season
• Handle gently to avoid bruising, which leads to faster spoilage
• If you accidentally cut or nick potatoes, use these first as they won’t store well

How to Store Home-Grown Potatoes and Save for Next Season

Proper storage extends your harvest enjoyment, while saving some potatoes for replanting continues your garden’s productivity.

Storage Basics:

• Allow harvested potatoes to cure in a dark, well-ventilated area for 1-2 weeks
• Brush off soil gently (don’t wash potatoes intended for storage)
• Store in a cool (40-50°F), dark place with good ventilation
• Check regularly and remove any that develop soft spots

Apartment-Friendly Storage Solutions:

• Paper bags with ventilation holes punched in them
• Cardboard boxes lined with newspaper
• Under-bed storage containers with ventilation added
• The coolest, darkest closet you have available

Saving Seed Potatoes:

1. Select medium-sized, unblemished potatoes for seed saving
2. Choose potatoes from your most productive plants
3. Store these separately, labeled as seed potatoes
4. About 2-3 weeks before your spring planting date, bring them out to start the chitting process again

Breaking the Consumption Cycle: By saving your own seed potatoes, you create a continuous cycle of food production from what was once a simple grocery purchase. This small act of self-sufficiency reduces your dependence on store-bought potatoes and connects you to the natural rhythms of growth and harvest.

Troubleshooting Common Problems When Growing Store-Bought Potatoes

Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
Potatoes not sprouting	Treated with strong inhibitors	Try different varieties; look for organic options
Yellow, curling leaves	Possible pest infestation	Check undersides of leaves for aphids; spray with insecticidal soap
Plants growing tall but no tubers forming	Too much nitrogen fertilizer	Switch to phosphorus-rich fertilizer; add wood ash to soil
Small harvest yield	Insufficient water or hilling	Ensure consistent moisture; hill more aggressively next time
Green potatoes	Exposure to sunlight	Increase hilling; harvest tubers promptly; cut away green portions before use

When deciding whether to start over or persevere with struggling plants, remember that potatoes are remarkably resilient. Unless you’re seeing signs of blight (black or brown spots with white mold), it’s usually worth continuing to care for your plants.

From Grocery Store to Garden: The Bigger Picture

Growing potatoes from grocery store purchases is more than just a gardening hack – it’s a small but meaningful step toward reconnecting with our food systems. Each potato plant you grow represents food production that’s independent of industrial agriculture, transportation systems, and packaging waste.

The process transforms you from a passive consumer of potatoes to an active producer, even if on a small scale. This shift in relationship—from dependence to partnership with natural systems—is powerful regardless of how many potatoes you ultimately harvest.

Whether you’re growing in a bucket on a city balcony or in a dedicated garden patch, your potato plants represent tangible progress toward aligning your daily life with your values. Start with whatever space and materials you have available, and remember that each small growing experiment builds your skills and confidence for the next one.

Have you tried growing store-bought potatoes? Share your experiences in the comments below, or tag us in your potato growing journey on social media. We’d love to see your creative growing solutions and hear about your harvests, both triumphant and challenging.

For more guides on growing food from everyday grocery items, check out our articles on growing ginger, garlic, and green onions from store-bought produce.