[isakkhull]

Found some old sprouting tatties at back of the veg cupboard.Would I be wasting my time and space by planting them or has anyone done this with any results?I would appreciate any answers and advice.Thanks
  

[grinling]

it is not recommended as it can cause diseases, but I do know allotmenters that plant their old potatoes for 2 to 3 successive years before buying new seed,

[Kevin67]

Guilty as charged!

I've been lucky enough to escape any nasties, so will continue!

The only precaution I take, is the old tatties get put in another bed quite some distance away from new spuds.

[New shoot]

You can import disease into your plot by doing this and the effects of this can last for years.  You might be lucky for years and get away with it .......... or you might not.

Seed spuds are cheap enough not to risk it in my view 

[m1ckz]

my wife buys new tatties from super market  this time of year........when they sprout which waslast week i put them in pots in the green house   i get a good feed for us 2 from each bucket/pot an there yummy

[mumofstig]

I think it's ok to put them in pots, because if the plants get diseased then you can throw the plants and compost away 

When potatoes for eating (ware potatoes) are grown they aren't tested for disease and viruses in the way seed potatoes are.

I wouldn't want to risk importing disease to my allotment - just to save a couple of quid at Wilko.

[azubah]

I compost my potato peelings. Could this import disease?

[JayG]

My garden had not been used for growing any types of veg for donkey's years before I moved in, but despite only ever buying certified seed potatoes, within a few years I had imported potato eelworm (aka PCN) which I'm now more or less lumbered with.

Certification is not the same thing as a guarantee of being disease or pest free - I was undoubtedly unlucky, but I would have needed even more luck to avoid problems if I'd risked planting any old spuds which came to hand.

Azubah - I do compost my potato peelings but I keep that batch separate and don't use it on my veg plot. Most potato pests and diseases won't survive the composting process, especially if you managed to generate some heat, and I suspect many people compost them any old how and don't have any problems.