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Last years potatoes

robertcubittrobertcubitt Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
Hi all

I have several sacks of sprouting potatoes from last year, not suitable for eating any more. Is there a way I can use them as compost d'you know?

Posts

  • oooftoooft Posts: 191
    I've had some success with mushing them up in the food processor. Composted really quickly too
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    They could sprout all over your garden, I don’t put anything with eyes in the compost or anything tomato related, did it once, had a garden full.  Our heaps don’t get quite as hot as commercial ones do. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hampshire_HogHampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089
    If you have space put a few in the ground and grow your own spuds.

    As Lyn says in the compost is risky from there very nature of spouting now shows they just want to grow.

    "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
  • robertcubittrobertcubitt Posts: 2
    Well, I evidently didn't make clear these are my own potatoes from last year's harvest.  Seems a shame to just dump several sacks. When I say sack, I mean hundredweight btw.
    I'm aware that the eyes are the problem (I think in the States, they sell just eyes for seed, not the whole potato?).
    I was wondering was whether there's a way to stop the eyes from sprouting, short of cooking them! 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    They will grow new eyes, quite persistant in their desire to live, like tomatoes. Think you would have to seriously crush them, try driving over them several times? They would still be quite wet, even from last year, you would need to mix up with other dry stuff otherwise I think it would turn into a foul-smelling heap.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I compost potato peelings which do sometimes sprout in the compost heap but I just break the sprouts off and they compost down the same as everything else.
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