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What Actually Causes Potatoes to Sprout?
If you’ve ever noticed your potatoes turning green or sprouting way too soon, there’s a scientific explanation. Light exposure does more harm than you might think. Both sunlight and fluorescent lights can encourage your potatoes to turn green. That’s chlorophyll building up—yes, the same stuff in leafy greens. But with potatoes, it also means they might produce solanine, a toxic chemical that can trigger nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially if you’re sensitive to it. So if you spot green patches on your potatoes, you’re not being overly cautious by peeling those areas off or tossing the potato altogether.
- Rule of thumb: store potatoes somewhere dark. The less light, the less risk of green spots and unwanted toxins.
The Apple Trick Everyone’s Excited About
Now for the fun part—turns out apples aren’t just good for keeping doctors away! Place an apple or two in the bowl or bag where you keep your potatoes. Why? Apples release ethylene gas, which helps keep your potatoes from sprouting for longer. It’s a low-maintenance, affordable way to lengthen the life of your spuds.
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- Put an apple (or two) right in your potato storage and see the results. Plenty of people swear by it!
“I’m trying it now and will update this post.”
Real Experiences: Potato Lovers Weigh In
“So far, I haven’t had this issue because when I bought potatoes, I usually just bought 2 potatoes :-)) My husband doesn’t eat potatoes, except fries. I love the trick of the apple and look forward to your update, Judee.”
“I always love potatoes, and as I am on my own I buy small amounts so that they don’t sprout. The apple is a good tip, must try it! Thanks Judee! Hugs, Valerie”
“I usually only buy potatoes when we need them, and only what we need, as we don’t eat a lot of them. I have seen potato bags for storing them that are dark material bags. from Tandy I Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com”
“Good morning, enjoyed your post hadn’t read before not to store potatoes in the frig—I buy the tiny potatoes now and always store in the frig—so far no sprouting—thank goodness but loved the tip and recipes”
“This is really interesting. I think we all have issues with potato sprouting so these are excellent tips. The apple is an easy fix! I never knew about the fridge—we always kept them there (and they rarely sprouted there) but that doesn’t sound so good…”
“I share your frustration with sprouting potatoes—you’re right, it’s especially a problem with organic potatoes—and if adding an apple to my potato drawer means that my potatoes will last, I would gladly do that! Looking forward to learning how your experiment works out!”
What to Remember Before Your Next Potato Run
- Light is not your potato’s friend—keep them in a dark, cool spot.
- If you spot green, peel generously or play it safe and discard the potato.
- Put an apple (or two) in with your potato stash—nature’s own solution to sprouting!
- You don’t need fancy gadgets; even a regular bowl or bag will do the trick.
Whether you’re a potato devotee or only buy them for the occasional fries, these simple tips can help your potatoes keep longer and safer. And if you give the apple trick a try, you just might find your potatoes holding out for much longer than expected. Happy storing!
