# Disposal of sprouted potatoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2013, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111 "2013-04-19T07:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drew870mitchell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drew870mitchell/32/3946_2.png) [@drew870mitchell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drew870mitchell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/1 "2013-04-19T07:25:42Z")
We forgot about a bag of potatoes in a cabinet, and now, they’re all sprouted every which way. I’ve read that the sprouts are poisonous, and on top of that, potatoes are almost as cheap as dirt, so there’s no reason to risk getting sick to save pennies. So how can we dispose of these potatoes? It feels wrong to just throw so much organic matter in the trash. We have a small yard but no compost bin or pile. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/2 "2013-04-19T08:43:52Z")
Where I live we have curbside pickup of green waste, which goes to make compost. I guess you don’t have this service where you live. Does your local recycling center accept green waste? Do any of your neighbors have compost bins? Is there a local nursery or topsoil business that accepts green waste? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/3 "2013-04-19T11:54:43Z")
Potatos can be funny in compost - if you just chuck whole potatos in the compost pile, you’ll end up with potatos growing in there. Supposedly, if you dice them up as if making home fries, they won’t sprout as readily, but do you really want to put so much effort into garbage? I’d just toss them and move on to more important things like taking an inventory of your kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/4 "2013-04-19T11:55:24Z")
Plant 'em. At least, after the summer, you’ll have tiny potatoes for potato salad. Or really, just throw them away. What is the garbage for, if not throwing away things you don’t want? ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/5 "2013-04-19T11:57:17Z")
What do you do with the rest of your kitchen scraps? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/6 "2013-04-19T12:48:39Z")
You can plant sprouting potatoes in a big pot or tub, then harvest new potatoes (early) or big ones (late). That way, if a repeat of the Great Potato Famine hits the Pacific Northwest, you’ll be all set. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/7 "2013-04-19T14:35:30Z")
> [@drew870mitchell](#): > > So how can we dispose of these potatoes? Seriously? Throw them in the trash. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/8 "2013-04-19T14:38:10Z")
the rest of the potato is not poisonous to eat just not as much goodness as before sprouting. dig out the base of the sprout. you could cut in large chunks with a sprout or two in each and plant. to dispose of you could chop in small pieces and let decompose on the lawn. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/9 "2013-04-19T15:06:09Z")
I routinely break off the sprouts, peel the tater and use them. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/10 "2013-04-19T15:07:41Z")
I’m not entirely clear on why disposing of organic matter in the trash is “wrong.” It’s certainly more environmentally friendly than throwing away non-biodegradable materials, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/11 "2013-04-19T15:18:38Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I’m not entirely clear on why disposing of organic matter in the trash is “wrong.” It’s certainly more environmentally friendly than throwing away non-biodegradable materials, isn’t it? because it takes up space in the landfill and doesn’t decompose when put there. locations prohibit yard waste and organic material in trash because of this. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/12 "2013-04-19T15:43:53Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > the rest of the potato is not poisonous to eat just not as much goodness as before sprouting. dig out the base of the sprout. This. I eat sprouting potatoes all the time. They are fine. As **johnpost** says, just dig out the base of the sprout, and also remove any green parts (if any) and you are good to go. Indeed, even if you fail to get every last trace sprout base out, or miss a bit of green, nothing bad will happen. > [@johnpost](#): > > because it takes up space in the landfill and doesn’t decompose when put there. > > locations prohibit yard waste and organic material in trash because of this. 😕 Since when does organic matter not decompose? I think there must be other reasons for that prohibition. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/13 "2013-04-19T16:01:16Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > because it takes up space in the landfill and doesn’t decompose when put there. > > locations prohibit yard waste and organic material in trash because of this. Huge lawn bags full of grass clippings I can see…food scraps and some old potatoes mixed with other trash, I’m not so clear on. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/14 "2013-04-19T16:05:23Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 😕 Since when does organic matter not decompose? I think there must be other reasons for that prohibition. Landfills are generally [too tightly packed](http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/biodegradable.htm) for decomposition to occur. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/15 "2013-04-19T16:05:57Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > because it takes up space in the landfill and doesn’t decompose when put there. > > locations prohibit yard waste and organic material in trash because of this. > [@njtt](#): > > 😕 Since when does organic matter not decompose? I think there must be other reasons for that prohibition. i recall some archeologists doing some core sampling in garbage dumps. i think they brought up corn kernels in a layer with 50 year old newspaper (which is how they dated that depth). i don’t have a cite or more specifics that i recall. to decompose rapidly takes oxygen. if it is sealed in a landfill there is no oxygen, it will decompose over a geological length time period. landfills don’t allow yard waste or large quantities of organic matter. they will often have composting programs for this. cost of landfill and transport are too high to allow for compostables now. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/16 "2013-04-19T16:10:08Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > because it takes up space in the landfill and doesn’t decompose when put there. > > locations prohibit yard waste and organic material in trash because of this. > [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > Huge lawn bags full of grass clippings I can see…food scraps and some old potatoes mixed with other trash, I’m not so clear on. the yard waste prohibition is on a residential level. food waste would likely be on a larger quantity level. though waste programs in their instructions to residences say not to put compostable kitchen waste in the trash but to make a compost pile. ---
**Author:** ![drew870mitchell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drew870mitchell/32/3946_2.png) [@drew870mitchell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drew870mitchell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/17 "2013-04-19T19:14:26Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > What do you do with the rest of your kitchen scraps? I try to waste very little. If in an average meal I generate a half cup or less of food waste, I don’t think twice about that. But we’re talking about ten pounds of potatoes here. I posted in the hopes that some old codger Doper would have a tip like “if you bury those around your hedges they’ll attract hummingbirds!!” I dunno. My roommate bought these and put them in a cabinet that we rarely use. Hence both of us forgetting about them. I won’t make a trip out of it, but the next time I have to go near the city’s green waste site, I’ll call ahead and see if they take kitchen waste in addition to yard waste. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/18 "2013-04-19T19:30:50Z")
> [@drew870mitchell](#): > > I won’t make a trip out of it, but the next time I have to go near the city’s green waste site, I’ll call ahead and see if they take kitchen waste in addition to yard waste. What will you do with them in the meantime? Rotten potatoes smell _really bad!_ Also, maggots. (Been there before.) ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/19 "2013-04-19T20:02:26Z")
Know any toddlers? Make potato stamps. Cut in half, cut out shapes, dip in paint, press on paper. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111/20 "2013-04-19T20:46:03Z")
I hear that if you bury them near your hedges they will attract hummingbirds. If you insult someone in this thread, you’ll also attract a hummingbird! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disposal-of-sprouted-potatoes/656111.md?page=2)