Potatoes do tend to come back every year if the tubers are left in the ground.
However when pulled up the potatoes will need to be replanted again from the sprouts to grow additional potatoes.
Most potatoes are grown annually as subsequent seasons will produce poor quality crops of potatoes.
In most climate where soil freezes the potatoes grow as an annual crop and in climates where the soil never freezes the potato plant can be thought of as a perennial which spreads via it's tubers if they are left in the ground.
Potato eyes should be watered with a deep watering at least once a week unless the conditions are dryer and then you may need to water a twice a week.
Potatoes are most productive and grow best in well draining, rock free soil.
You should not soak potato eyes before planting as doing so can lead to rot.
Simply plant the potato eyes and then water the potato eyes.
If you want the potato plants to start quicker from the potato eyes, cut the potato and allow it to air dry for a couple days until the cut surfaces dry up and skin over.
You should bury potatoes as deep as 6 to 8 inches when planting them.
When planting the potatoes from sprouted potatoes cut a slice of the potato or potato in half with the sprouts and place the sprouted part of the potato facing up.
Potatoes sprout eyes as a way of germinating and growing new potato plants.
You an cut the eyes off the potato with part of the potato intact and grow new potatoes from them.
Potatoes sprout the eyes when they are stored in a space with a temperature of 68 F which makes the plant or potato think it's spring and time to regenerate new potatoes.
You cannot plant just the eyes of the potatoes as they will not grow properly.
In order for the potatoes to grow from the eyes they really need the energy that is in the potato so you should cut the eyes off the potatoes with part of the potato intact.
Then plant the cut part of the potato with the eye and then water.
Be sure to bury the potato eyes at lest 6 inches deep.
To grow potatoes from the potato eyes dig a trench that is 6-8 inches deep.
Next plant each piece of potato (cut side down, with the eyes pointing up) every 12-15 inches, with the rows spaced 3 feet apart.
If your space is limited or if you would like to grow only baby potatoes, you can decrease the spacing between the potato plants.
You can expect at least five to six new potatoes for each potato you plant.
There's something so magical about pulling up a potato plant and seeing so many new potatoes attached to the small one you planted months ago.
A potato that has grown eyes is still safe to eat so long as it's firm to the touch and its skin isn't shriveled.
Sprouts, however, are not edible and should be removed and tossed.
Small new potatoes can be ready as early as ten weeks.
However, full sized potatoes take about 80-100 days to reach maturity.