[Beetroot Queen]

On the back beds on plot 66 we last grew spuds in 2009, they have been used for other crops constantly since.

So why do I have spuds popping up this year.  surely they havent sat doing nothing for that long and surely the amount of times the bed has been dug we cant have missed some.

Or is some evil old boy planting them on purpose just to annoy me. The last option is a joke.

[gypsy]

The same evil old boy plants them on my plot too. It is a mystery of nature.

[Yorkie]

It's a very busy spud fairy up here too ...  I wonder whether the tiny volunteers grow a little bit each year, until they are large enough to be viable seed tubers?

[Wiltshire Worms]

Do you put peelings from potatoes into your compost..

[Yorkie]

Don't start that question !!! 

(It's been discussed recently on another thread with varying responses  )

[al78]

I had volunteers popping up on a part of the plot that was completely uncultivated the previous year, so they must have survived dormant for a couple of years at least.

[Paul Plots]

I wish my earlies would volunteer to come through... Despite being planted once and replanted again I think they should be putting in an appearance by now especially as...

I have a couple of volunteer potatoes appearing where I really don't remember putting any and before last year the patch was lawn!!

Potato Fairies? Goblins more like. 

[Muppetgirly]

OH planted our sideways, so no idea where the shoots will emerge!

[Markw]

Just asking could they have grow from the potato seed berries if they were left in the ground. I have the same problem on my new plot that I have taken over. some have come up where the gooseberry plants are.I have been told that they have been in there for two years now.

[JayG]

OH planted our sideways, so no idea where the shoots will emerge!

In the unlikely event that a seed spud has only one chit it would be better planted facing upwards as that's the direction growth starts, but most spuds have several chits all round the 'rose end,' so even planted on their sides some of them are bound to be facing upwards (just imagine how expensive spuds would be in the shops if commercial growers had to make sure they were all planted 'chits up'!  )

[Beetroot Queen]

Surely though 2009 to 2014 is too long to have missed a spud. Its not just one spud either.

I am going for angry old grump just doing it to annoy me 

I do put spud peelings in the compost but I use a peeler and the peelings are waffer thin.

[Muppetgirly]

OH planted our sideways, so no idea where the shoots will emerge!

In the unlikely event that a seed spud has only one chit it would be better planted facing upwards as that's the direction growth starts, but most spuds have several chits all round the 'rose end,' so even planted on their sides some of them are bound to be facing upwards (just imagine how expensive spuds would be in the shops if commercial growers had to make sure they were all planted 'chits up'!  )

I just has the romantic image of them trundling along under the ground and then deciding to surface somewhere random! Obviously because in the land I live in, the potato plants are capable of independent thought!!!