Sourcing Seed Potatoes for the Backyard Garden

New to growing potatoes? Learn what seed potatoes are, why certified seed matters, where to buy seed potatoes, and how to store them before planting for a healthy potato crop.

Choosing the right seed potatoes is one of the most important steps in growing a healthy, productive potato crop. Seed potatoes aren’t seeds at all, they’re small potato tubers grown specifically for planting, and the quality of those tubers has a direct impact on plant health, yield, and long-term success in your garden.

This guide focuses on how to source seed potatoes for the backyard garden, including why certified seed potatoes matter, how much seed you need, where to buy seed potatoes, and what to look for when selecting healthy tubers. It also covers how to store seed potatoes before planting, so they stay in good condition until they go into the ground.

This post is one part of a larger potato growing guide designed to help you grow potatoes with confidence, whether you’re planting a small backyard patch or a larger crop for storage.

If you’re new to growing potatoes or want a complete overview of the entire process from choosing varieties to planting, caring for your crop, harvesting, and storing or preserving your harvest, start here: How to Grow Potatoes: A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners.

What Are Seed Potatoes?

Seed potatoes are not seeds but small potato tubers. When you plant seed potatoes, you are planting a potato produced by the plant the previous year. Any diseases or insects that the mother plant may have had are carried over in the seed potato.

Because of this, starting with clean, high-quality seed potatoes makes a big difference in the long-term health of your crop.

Why Certified Seed Potatoes Matter

Certified seed potatoes are inspected and tested to ensure they’re:

• Free from common potato diseases.
• True to variety.
• Grown under controlled conditions.

Each state has its own certification process. In my experience, starting with certified seed potatoes is one of the simplest ways to improve yields and avoid issues later in the season.

Even though there are other challenges to growing potatoes, starting with certified seed potatoes is my first step toward a successful crop. If the crop grows well and shows no signs of disease, I often save a portion of the harvest to use as seed the following year.

Can You Use Saved or Store-Bought Potatoes as Seed?

Saving your own seed potatoes can work for a year or two if:

• Plants were healthy.
• Tubers were stored properly.
• No disease was present.

However, I’ve found that yields and tuber size can decline over time when seed is reused year after year. After a few seasons of saving my own seed, refreshing with new certified seed helped restore plant vigor and productivity.

Grocery store potatoes are generally not recommended, as many are treated to prevent sprouting and may carry diseases that affect your garden.

How Much Seed Potato Do You Need?

A rough planting guideline:

• 1 pound of seed potatoes plants about 6–8 feet of row.
• Under good conditions, 1 pound of seed potatoes can yield around 10 pounds of potatoes.
• Fingerling potatoes typically plant 12–16 feet of row per pound.

Actual yields depend on variety, soil health, and growing conditions.

Where to Buy Seed Potatoes

Over the years, I’ve sourced seed potatoes in a few different ways, including ordering through mail-order catalogs and buying locally from garden centers and farm and feed stores. Both options work well, but timing, cost, and availability can vary depending on where you live and how patient you’re willing to be in the spring.

After a few seasons of trial and error, I’ve learned that choosing when and where to buy seed potatoes can make the process easier and more affordable, while still starting the garden with high-quality seed.

Mail-Order Seed Potatoes

Mail-order suppliers offer a wide selection of potato varieties, including early, mid-season, and storage types that may not be available locally. If you’re looking for specific varieties or enjoy trying something new each year, ordering seed potatoes by mail can be a great option.

The downside is timing and shipping costs. Popular varieties often sell out quickly, so ordering early is important. In colder climates, shipments may also be delayed to prevent seed potatoes from freezing in transit.

Here in Maine, I’ve ordered seed potatoes from several regional suppliers over the years, including Fedco’s Moose Tubers, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Maine Potato Lady, Wood Prairie Farm, and Pinetree Garden Seeds. These companies specialize in seed suited to northern growing conditions, but similar regional suppliers exist across the country.

Local Garden Centers and Feed Stores

Local garden centers, farm stores, and feed stores often carry certified seed potatoes in spring, sometimes a bit later than mail-order shipments. Buying locally has a few advantages:

• No shipping costs.
• The ability to select individual tubers.
• Varieties that are often well-suited to your region.

I’ve found that being patient and waiting to shop locally can pay off. In my area, farm and feed stores frequently stock Maine Certified Seed Potatoes later in spring. This allows me to choose firm, healthy tubers by the pound and avoid shipping costs altogether.

Once spring arrives, check your local garden centers, nurseries, and farm stores to see what seed potatoes they carry. Availability varies from year to year, but local sources can be a convenient and reliable option.

What to Look for When Choosing Seed Potatoes

Choosing firm, healthy seed potatoes at the start helps prevent problems later in the season and sets the stage for strong growth.

Sort though and choose:

• Firm, healthy tubers.
• No signs of rot or mold.
• Visible eyes or early sprouts.
• Smaller to medium-sized potatoes (they store and plant well).

When to Avoid Buying Seed Potatoes

Not all seed potatoes are worth planting, even if they’re labeled for seed. Take a moment to inspect tubers before buying, and avoid seed potatoes that show signs of damage or poor storage.

Skip seed potatoes that are:

• Soft, shriveled, or wrinkled.
• Moldy or showing signs of rot.
• Covered in long, pale, fragile sprouts.
• Stored in warm, brightly lit conditions.

What to Do When Your Seed Potatoes Arrive

Whether you purchase seed potatoes locally or have them shipped by mail, what you do when they arrive can affect how well they perform once planted. Seed potatoes are living tubers, and a little attention at this stage helps prevent spoilage and sets them up for strong growth.

If your seed potatoes arrive several weeks before planting time, don’t worry this is common, especially with mail-order suppliers who ship early to avoid spring sellouts.

Storing Seed Potatoes Until Planting Time

If it’s still too early to plant or pre-sprout your seed potatoes, store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated location. Ideal conditions are above freezing but cooler than room temperature. Avoid warm, damp areas or direct sunlight, which can encourage weak sprouts or cause potatoes to rot.

For mail-order seed potatoes, open the package right away and inspect the tubers. Spread them out or place them in a breathable container so air can circulate, and remove any potatoes that show signs of rot or damage.

Check stored seed potatoes occasionally. It’s normal for them to remain dormant for a time or develop small sprouts while waiting for planting conditions to improve.

Pre-Sprouting (Chitting) Seed Potatoes

As planting time approaches, you may want to encourage seed potatoes to sprout before planting. This process, often called chitting or greensprouting, involves placing seed potatoes in a bright, cool location so short, sturdy sprouts can form.

Chitting isn’t required to grow potatoes successfully, but it can be helpful in cooler climates or areas with shorter growing seasons. Pre-sprouted potatoes often emerge more quickly once planted and may produce an earlier harvest.

If you’re curious whether chitting makes sense for your garden and want to learn how to do it step by step, this guide walks through the process in detail: Chitting Potatoes Gives Them a Head Start.

Healthy Seed Potatoes are the Foundation of a Successful Potato Crop

Over the years, I’ve learned that starting with good seed potatoes makes the rest of the growing season easier. Whether you order seed potatoes by mail or buy them locally, choosing healthy tubers and handling them carefully early on pays off with better growth and more reliable harvests.

Once your seed is sourced and stored, the next decision is how you want to grow your crop.

• Ways to Grow Potatoes: How to Choose the Best Method for Your Garden: This guide explores several different ways to grow potatoes, from traditional garden beds to containers and intensive methods, so you can choose what works best for your space.
• How to Grow Potatoes: A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners: A complete overview of the potato growing process with links to other resources, including how to choose potato varieties to grow, ways to plant, and when to harvest and preserve potatoes.

Want to Learn How to Grow Potatoes?

You will find everything you need to start growing potatoes in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Growing Potatoes. Whether you are striving for a few gourmet fingerling potatoes or a large crop for winter food storage, this guide will show how you can grow your own, organic, homegrown potatoes.