Things people “know” about potatoes

Myth A potato is a root.

Fact Underground stems called stolons swell at their ends to form a few to more than 20 tubers. Encyclopaedia Britannica: potato Potatoes are tubers: storage organs the plant uses to store nutrients and water so it can regrow the next season. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Potato season at Kew

Myth The eyes are just marks on the skin.

Fact The “eyes” on a potato are buds. They sprout to make new plants that are clones of the parent. Encyclopaedia Britannica: potato Each tuber has from two to as many as 10 buds (“eyes”), arranged in a spiral. International Potato Center (CIP): Potato

Myth You have to chit every potato.

Fact Chitting means letting seed potatoes sprout before planting. It isn’t essential, but is worthwhile with early varieties for an even earlier crop. RHS: How to grow potatoes Unchitted early potatoes still grow perfectly well, but take a few weeks longer to crop. There’s no real advantage to chitting maincrops. RHS: How to grow potatoes

Myth Any sprouting potato from the kitchen will do for planting.

Fact Garden Organic says not to plant sprouted potatoes from the kitchen: they are not certified and may bring potato viruses and diseases into your garden. Garden Organic: Potatoes growing guide

Myth Potatoes come from Ireland.

Fact The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes. Encyclopaedia Britannica: potato Spaniards introduced potatoes into Europe in the second half of the 16th century. Encyclopaedia Britannica: potato

Myth Europe took to potatoes straight away.

Fact Kew says potatoes arrived in Europe in the 1560s and were treated with suspicion, because their flower looks like that of poisonous deadly nightshade. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Potato season at Kew At first in Europe, potatoes were mainly used as animal food, and in northern Europe were grown in botanical gardens as an exotic novelty. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Potato season at Kew

Myth Blight and early blight are the same thing.

Fact Potato blight (late blight) is caused by a fungus-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. It spreads rapidly through leaves and tubers in warm, wet weather. RHS: Potato and tomato blight Early blight is a different disease, common in North America but not a common problem in British gardens. RHS: Potato and tomato blight

Myth Slugs are only pests.

Fact Slugs and snails also help recycle dead leaves in gardens and are food for birds, beetles and reptiles. The UK has over 44 species of slug and 90 of snail. RHS: Slugs and snails

Myth Colorado beetle is established in the UK.

Fact Colorado beetle was declared eradicated from the UK on 11 December 2025, after it was found in Kent in July 2023 and none were found for two years. GOV.UK (Defra/APHA): Major potato pest eradicated from UK (11 December 2025) · checked 29 Oct 2026

Myth There’s one agreed number of potato varieties.

Fact The International Potato Center says there are over 4,000 edible varieties of potato, mostly in the Andes. Further down the same page it says more than 4,500 varieties of native potatoes. International Potato Center (CIP): Potato Kew’s plants of Peru page says there are over 5,000 varieties of potatoes. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: The plants of Peru Kew’s potato season page says there are over 100 different types of potato. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Potato season at Kew