Planting whole potatoes?

[DWSmith]

I've always seen people plant seed potatoes after they've been cut into chunks. I just watched a video where a guy planted whole potatoes. Is this normal? Seems like a waste of some seed potatoes.

[veggiechicken]

Depends on the size of the potato! I like ones about the size of a chicken's egg.............

[Bren In Pots]

I cut larger potatoes in half or thirds. seems to work out ok.

[DWSmith]

Several of them looked to be about the size of a baseball.

If they are large enough and have multiple eyes I would cut them up. Just wondered if there was a good reason to leave them whole like less susceptible to disease, which I assume they would be.

Everything has its trade-offs.

[Martin H]

I only cut big ones, anything hens egg size or a bit bigger I leave intact. I cut a day or two before planting to let the cut surfaces dry out and skin over a bit.

Any piece of potato with an eye on it will grow, but they may not make such vigorous plants.

[muddled]

I think, as well, that if I buy a small bag of seed potatoes it will contain maybe 10 to maybe 15 spuds.
I don't have enough room for more than that number so why cut them?

[Cadalot]

I never cut the seed spuds, if it's a little large it still goes on the hole I bore with my Auger and lays on a bed of compost mixed with spud fertiliser, then is covered with the same.

These days I bore the holes trough weed membrane to keep the weeds at bay

[Snadger]

If I want big tatties, I plant big tatties. Big tatties planted, usually give you big tatties.I never cut them up as I would be worried about rotting or disease ingress.

Seed potatoes are relatively cheap to buy and are based on the hens egg size so I see no need to cut those either.

I agree with Cadalot but have planted mine through cardboard and hoss muck.