Chit them
Set seed potatoes in a bright, cool spot for a couple of weeks until short green sprouts form. A head start.
The king of self-sufficiency crops — huge calories, easy to grow, stores for months. From seed potato to full bin.
Set seed potatoes in a bright, cool spot for a couple of weeks until short green sprouts form. A head start.
Sprouts up, ~4" deep, a foot apart, in loose soil and full sun. Plant after the last frost.
Mound soil around the stems as they rise. More buried stem = more potatoes, and it stops greening.
Dig once the tops die back, let them cure a week in the dark, then store cool. They'll keep for months.
For potatoes plus the whole grow-store-and-live plan, The most complete beginner's manual we've found is The Self-Sufficient Backyard — Ron & Johanna Melchiore's 40 years off-grid distilled into food, water, power and 75+ DIY projects. Our honest take:
Garden beds, rainwater sizing, pantry days-of-supply and the weekly rhythm — free spreadsheet, straight to your inbox.