[GreyScales]

So I haven't been paying as much attention to my compost tumbler as I should lately. Noticed something green poking out of it this morning, then on inspection saw all the potato skins decided to sprout :/ Dunno how they went so long without rotting, I haven't added any green matter in a few months.

Is this something that is going to be a problem for the compost? Should I just keep bashing/tumbling them about until they decide to rejoin the compost or are these going to take over and cause problems?

[mjpalin]

Potato skins are reknowned for trying to grow into new potatoes... that's why we never add peelings to our compost. No idea whether you should remove or not.. but my gut tells me you should.

[solway cropper]

I never, ever put any part of a potato into the compost for that reason. It's also a good way to spread disease if you are including peelings from shop-bought spuds.

[Goosegirl]

I put all my kitchen peelings into the compost bins and never had that happen - didn't know it could either.

[mumofstig]

Keep on tumbling, now the weather is warming up - so should the compost. Combined with the tumbling that'll sort them out 

I put spud peelings in my compost without any problems - I get the occasional one that grows, but they're easy enough to pull out.

[Lottiman]

 I had this very same problem with my tumbler that we had at home (now at the plot just to messy)  I emptied this three or so months ago, I shoveled it all in to an old bag and took it to the plot, where for some reason didn't get emptied out and yep you guessed it it has turned into a sprouting triffid bursting out of every hole in the bag I think personaly I won't bother composting spud peelings any more, the haulms I already put in the brown bin anyway just in case they are carrying any disease, so anything spud related the council can deal with.

[JohnB47]

Here's a thought. Would it help leaving the peelings out in the open, under cover, to dry out first? Would that stop the growth tendancy when you put them in the compost?

[richie3846]

I'm not sure if it's true but someone once told me that a potato plant can grow from just an eye. Pretty impressive, I can't think of another plant that has three ways of reproducing (eye, tuber and seed). I doubt drying the peel will work - i can imagine that the eye, just like a seed, will mysteriously come back to life once re-wetted - I am just going on a hunch.

If the skins are in good nick you can throw 'em on a baking tray and whack 'em in the oven for a while instead of composting. They go crispy and taste yummy!

[crh75]

Peel them with a peeler rather than a knife and you don't get many, if any, sprouting in the compost.

[JohnB47]

Peel them with a peeler rather than a knife and you don't get many, if any, sprouting in the compost.

Now that I think of it, you're right. I put peelings and the odd bad spud in my wormery and only the spuds grow. I use a proper peeler.