[sparky]

Just got my first ever seed potatoes and have read up on chitting.
Questions.
1. Do seed potatoes only sprout from one end?
2. If not, is it ok to cut them in half to plant out, or will they rot?
Thanks.
Bill

[WG.]

1. most but not all sprouts will be from eyes at  the rose end

2. generally accepted as a bad idea - the cut surface is a prime site for diseases to attack.  It'll work though - you can even plant tattie peelings if the eye is intact

[Lynne]

 It'll work though - you can even plant tattie peelings if the eye is intact

How true. The potato peeling I put in my wormery are always sprouting!

[Hampshire Hog]

I think cutting them in half was a technique employed during the war to increase yield if you only had a few spuds. Agree that it is an obvious risk to the plant in terms of disease. Unless you couldn't get enough seed pots for some reason I think you will do better by planting a whole seed potato and using as big ones as you can buy too.

Cheers HH

[Aunt Sally]

2. If not, is it ok to cut them in half to plant out,

Let the cut surface dry off before planting.

Jersey Royals were originally propagated by this method.  Two very large potatoes with lots of eyes were cut up with one eye on each piece and planted out.

http://www.jerseyroyals.co.uk/

[WG.]

 It'll work though - you can even plant tattie peelings if the eye is intact

How true. The potato peeling I put in my wormery are always sprouting!

Simplest is to pop the peelings in the freezer overnight.