How to Cut Seed Potatoes

Cutting seed potatoes lets one tuber become several plants. Done correctly, cuts heal and sprout strongly. Done poorly, pieces rot in the ground.

Target piece size

Extension guides commonly recommend:

• About 1½-inch cubes / 1½–2 oz pieces
• One to three eyes per piece (two or three is often better than a single weak eye)
• A roughly 6-ounce potato may yield about four pieces

Small whole tubers (~1–1¼ inches) are ideal uncut.

Step-by-step

1. Use a clean knife and clean cutting surface
2. Cut so each piece has visible eyes and enough flesh to fuel early growth
3. Avoid razor-thin “eye flakes” with almost no potato attached
4. Spread pieces on a tray at room temperature (about 60–70°F)
5. Dry several days (Clemson often says 3–5 days) until cut faces form a tough skin
6. Plant cut side down

Optional: some gardeners dust cut pieces with elemental sulfur to reduce infection risk (Maryland mentions this technique).

Common mistakes

• Planting freshly cut, wet surfaces into cold soil
• Pieces with no eyes
• Pieces so small they desiccate or rot
• Rubbing off sprouts that formed while drying

Before you cut

Confirm it is actually planting stock → What Is a Seed Potato?

After planting, watch for emergence → How Long Do Potatoes Take to Sprout?