How Long Will Cut Seed Potatoes Last? [A Practical Answer]

How long will cut seed potatoes last

In my garden, I plant potatoes which come with cut seeds. I cut the seed in half before planting it in my garden. But, the first time, I made some mistakes, which didn’t grow my cut-seed potatoes because of the death of the seeds.

So, how long will cut seed potatoes last? After cutting your potato seed, you have to wait a maximum of 10 days and a minimum of 7 days for planting. Potatoes cutting seeds take nearly 10 days for the curing process. Though 10 days are standard to keep cut-seeds potatoes, it also depends on several factors such as humidity, airflow, seed quality, and so on.

But, if you store cutting seed at a normal temperature after 10 days, it will be attacked by several viruses and bacteria and finally damage the seeds without any doubts. Keep reading to know detailed information about this matter and the best way to store cut seeds.

What Is Cut Seed?

Cut seed is a process of cutting seeds for storing and planting for growing plants. There are plenty of plants have which produces seed for cutting and plant them for the next cultivation.

For example, potatoes seed is easy to cut. You can cut half of a potato to make seeds. But you have to keep in mind that all of the potatoes are not suitable for making seeding. You should avoid extra large size potatoes to make cutting seeds.

Making cut seeds is easy and effective in producing a large amount of quality potatoes. You will use cut seeds to plant on your garden container or the rooftop. Make sure that you choose quality potatoes for cut seeds.

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How Long Will Cut Seed Potatoes Last?

It is a little bit tricky to answer yes or no. Cutting seeds for cultivating is a common process to grow potatoes in the garden or the field. Typically, cut-seed potatoes last 10 days or a maximum of 12 days.

It is a standard time duration. But you can store the cut seeds in a perfect space for a long time. On the contrary, you should not store the cut seed for a long-time because of losing the freshness, vitamins, and other things.

According to my experience, keeping cut seed for 3-5 days is one of the best time range to get good quality potatoes. If your potato cut-seed maintains the following points, you can easily keep the cut-seeds for 10 days without facing any problems.

  • If you choose fresh and high-quality potatoes for making seed
  • Make sure that you store cut seed in a place where moisture, humidity, and airflow come properly
  • The storage place is dry and doesn’t come in sunshine excessively
  • If the seeds come with a thin layer, you should plant them as soon as possible

These are the common indicators that help you to understand how many days you can keep your potatoes cut-seed. You will also take help from seed experts if you need to store the seeds for more time.

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How Long Can Seed Potatoes Be Cut Before Planting?

There are two types of seed potatoes have such as sprout seed potatoes, and another one is non-sprout seed potatoes. If your potatoes already come with sprouts, you can cut the seed potatoes two weeks ahead.

Generally, the sprout seeds take two weeks to cut and plant. You can store the cut seeds for nearly 10 days. It would be better for you to plant the cut seeds after 3 to 5 days to get better performance.

On the other hand, if your potato seed comes with non-sprout, you can wait 3 to 4 weeks for cutting before planting. It is also a standard time which you can follow. Moreover, you will also take help from an agriculture expert to get a clear concept of this matter.

Can You Plant Potatoes Right After You Cut Them?

Cornell University Home Gardening, you will plant potatoes right after you can use them if the following points match. Check them out and make the right decision about this matter.

  • The soil should be moist with light.
  • The temperature should be 50 to 60 degrees F
  • Make sure that the soil comes with proper fertilizer and prepared
  • The plant potatoes should be maintained quality and proper cutting

These are the best points you need to remember when you want to plant potatoes right after you cut them. I hope these 4 points help you plant your potato seed at the right time.

How Long Will Cut Seed Potatoes Last in the Fridge?

It depends on the temperature of your fridge. Suppose you use the ideal temperature, like 38 to 40 degrees F. It is a standard temperature that you need to maintain on your fridge.

According to the University of California, the long-term fridging temperature should be 45 degrees F for storing the cut seeds potatoes. On the temperature, you can keep your seeds for up to 10 months without facing any problems.

When you set up this temperature on your fridge, the seeds of potatoes never create any layers which damage the seeds. On the other hand, you should try to plant cut seeds potatoes as soon as possible to get more freshness and quality.

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How to Cure Potatoes Before Planting?

When you store the cut seeds in the right place for a long time, you must cure the potato seeds before planting. But how can you cure the potatoes before planting? It is simple to cure the potatoes for planting.

To cure potatoes before planting, you just need to set the seeds in an airy dry place. After that, keep them under the sun for nearly 2 days; the seed will dry and hard and come with a leathery texture.

Now, properly cut the leathery texture areas and plant them as soon as possible to grow potatoes in your garden. You will also follow another process to cure the plants, but it is one of the most effective and simple processes I have followed.

How Do You Keep Seed Potatoes from Sprouting?

You will delay the sprout of your potatoes seeding by taking some simple steps. It is not tricky to keep seed potatoes from sprouting. But, it is hard enough to keep seed potatoes when it already comes with a sprout.

To avoid sprouts on the potato seed, you have to keep the storing temperature below 45 degrees F. Moreover, you should also store them in a place where sunshine doesn’t come out.

Of course, you have to keep the seeds in dry space. Note you have to store the potato seeds under 86% humidity. Humidity is the main culprit, which makes the potatoes sprout without taking help from others.

FAQs (Frequently Ask Questions)

Q: Can you cut seed potatoes?

Answer: Yes, you can cut seeds potatoes for planting. It would be best for you to cut the seed potatoes in half. Moreover, you have to avoid considering large-size potatoes for cutting seeds.

Q: Can seed potatoes be used again?

Answer: Yes, you can use seed potatoes again without getting any problems. The potatoes seed may sprout when you want to use them again. In this situation, you should plant the potatoes as soon as possible to get a large amount of potatoes.

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