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If there's a way, nature finds it. So when Donna Porée (@donna9p) locked up her apartment to quarantine with her husband, the sack of potatoes she left behind refused to give up and just rot. No, no... The potatoes had searched for sources of life throughout the whole 3 months of Donna's absence.

When the woman came back home, she couldn't believe the progress the vegetables have made. "It's very surprising but the potatoes have punctured through the joints of my kitchen," Donna told Bored Panda.

Image credits: donna9p

While cleaning up, Donna decided against eating the potatoes or throwing them away. After all, their tremendous will to live demanded something a little more respectful. "I carefully removed them from my apartment and replanted them in a vegetable patch outside," Donna explained.

In the process of doing so, there was one more thing that needed to be taken care of. "When I was relocating the potatoes, I couldn't help myself and measured their sprouts. To my amazement, some were almost 1 meter (3.3 feet) long!"

After seeing Donna's pics, people started sharing their own photos of accidental potato sprouts.

#1

And Now We Know Where Pringles Come From

And Now We Know Where Pringles Come From

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N G
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Good day to you sir, please plant me on the battle field outside", spoken in stiff upper class British accent

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Sprouted potatoes contain higher levels of glycoalkaloids, which can be toxic to humans when eaten in big amounts. Even though discarding the sprouts, eyes, green skin, and bruised parts of a potato, as well as frying it, may help reduce glycoalkaloid levels, more research is needed to know for sure whether or not we can safely eat sprouted potatoes. Until then, the safest thing to do is to discard them and get new ones.

#2

Potatoes Were Hiding In My Pantry. They Look Like Some Sort Of Sea Creature

Potatoes Were Hiding In My Pantry. They Look Like Some Sort Of Sea Creature

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One of the best ways to reduce sprouting in potatoes is to buy them in moderation. Try to avoid stockpiling these vegetables and only buy them when you have plans to use them.

Also, if you spot any damaged potatoes, it's probably best that you get rid of them and make sure that the remaining ones are stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Some funny reports suggest that we should avoid keeping potatoes with onions as putting the two together may accelerate sprouting. However, that's just folklore; there's no scientific evidence to support this.

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#3

This Bag Of Potatoes In My Basement

This Bag Of Potatoes In My Basement

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#4

A Potato I Found Under My Kitchen Counter Looks Like Some Sort Of Alien Forest

A Potato I Found Under My Kitchen Counter Looks Like Some Sort Of Alien Forest

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#5

Sweet Potato Sprouting

Sweet Potato Sprouting

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Daria B
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds almost like an exclamation, like "Sweet potato sprouting, what is that?"

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#6

The Microwavable Potatoes I Left Over Winter Break Sprouted

The Microwavable Potatoes I Left Over Winter Break Sprouted

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Scagsy
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you turned it upside down you could use it as a very small table.

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#7

Apparently If You Rotate A Sprouting Potato Every Few Days, They Get Confused.

Apparently If You Rotate A Sprouting Potato Every Few Days, They Get Confused.

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course they get confused... imagine what a plant would look like if it couldn't sense it's environment! It'd be a random mess of roots, leafs and stems - nonsense, it needs to get some idea about the best direction for the specific purpose. Roots: Downwards, follow the surface, follow the moisture, follow the nutrients. Stems: Upwards (sideways if you're a sufficient size already), to the light. "To the light" is a really major factor here, but (some, I don't know if all) plants really can sense where "down" is! They have little weights in the cell that sink to the bottom. (further info on "plant sense" in reply to this comment)

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#8

Yesterday I Turned This Potato Upside Down, And Today I Got A Practical Lesson In Gravitropism, The Tendency Of Plants To Alter Their Growth With Respect To Gravity. Bonus: It Turned Into A Lobster

Yesterday I Turned This Potato Upside Down, And Today I Got A Practical Lesson In Gravitropism, The Tendency Of Plants To Alter Their Growth With Respect To Gravity. Bonus: It Turned Into A Lobster

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#10

Won’t Be Photographing Any Mountains Or Foreign Destinations In The Foreseeable Future So I Decided To Take Some Shots Closer To Home

Won’t Be Photographing Any Mountains Or Foreign Destinations In The Foreseeable Future So I Decided To Take Some Shots Closer To Home

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#11

Box Of Potatoes That Has Been Left Unopened For About A Year

Box Of Potatoes That Has Been Left Unopened For About A Year

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#12

When You Left Somewhere 5 Months Ago, Come Back And Didn’t Realise You’d Left Some Potatoes In A Cupboard

When You Left Somewhere 5 Months Ago, Come Back And Didn’t Realise You’d Left Some Potatoes In A Cupboard

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#13

I See Your Tomato, And I Offer You A Bucket Of Seedy Potatoes And One Kitty

I See Your Tomato, And I Offer You A Bucket Of Seedy Potatoes And One Kitty

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#14

This Potato Has Been Growing For 3 Weeks

This Potato Has Been Growing For 3 Weeks

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#15

Delicate Sweet Potato Sprouts Look Unearthly And Beautiful, Like Martian Coral

Delicate Sweet Potato Sprouts Look Unearthly And Beautiful, Like Martian Coral

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Raine Soo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The purple tendrils look like little hands. The colour is quite pretty.

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#16

My Dad Found A Horror Potato Sprouting In The Back Of Our Pantry Drawer

My Dad Found A Horror Potato Sprouting In The Back Of Our Pantry Drawer

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#17

My Potato Is Ripe I Think

My Potato Is Ripe I Think

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Osgood_7
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Potatoes and onions release gasses that make the other go bad more quickly. If you want them to last longer, keep potatoes and onions apart

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#19

This Sprouted Sweet Potato I Forgot In My Pantry Looks Weirdly Pretty

This Sprouted Sweet Potato I Forgot In My Pantry Looks Weirdly Pretty

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#20

This Is What Happens When You Leave A Bag Of Potatoes In A Closet For Almost A Year

This Is What Happens When You Leave A Bag Of Potatoes In A Closet For Almost A Year

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ebony1k124 touch
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must not go in the pantry often. I would hate to see what other things have mutated in there.

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#21

Old Potatoes Planted This Morning

Old Potatoes Planted This Morning

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#22

I Forgot About The Last Of The Potatoes

I Forgot About The Last Of The Potatoes

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#23

Found A Sprouted Potato At Work...

Found A Sprouted Potato At Work...

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#25

My Friend Forgot About A Bag Of Potatoes She Bought Six Months Ago.

My Friend Forgot About A Bag Of Potatoes She Bought Six Months Ago.

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#26

What Happens When You Leave Potatoes In The Cellar For 6 Months

What Happens When You Leave Potatoes In The Cellar For 6 Months

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#27

Left A Sprouting Sweet Potato In My Cupboard For A Little Over A Year. Here Are The Results.

Left A Sprouting Sweet Potato In My Cupboard For A Little Over A Year. Here Are The Results.

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Marlowe Fitzpatrik
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not put it in soil when you've already gone so far with the sprouting? This is just sad.

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#28

We Forgot About Our Bag Of Potatoes And They Sprouted...a Lot

We Forgot About Our Bag Of Potatoes And They Sprouted...a Lot

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#29

I Found This Sprouted Potato Today, Which Was Hiding In A Cupboard For Along Time. The Roots Tell The Whole Story That The Plant Cant Tell. .seems Like A Familiar Story? Welcome To The Lazy Gardeners Club

I Found This Sprouted Potato Today, Which Was Hiding In A Cupboard For Along Time. The Roots Tell The Whole Story That The Plant Cant Tell. .seems Like A Familiar Story? Welcome To The Lazy Gardeners Club

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Daria B
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see a tired humanoid creature that's walking and carrying a heavy backpack.

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#30

I Started Cleaning Out My Nest. I Began In The Kitchen, Here Are Some Potatoes That I Left In The Cupboard For Almost A Year.

I Started Cleaning Out My Nest. I Began In The Kitchen, Here Are Some Potatoes That I Left In The Cupboard For Almost A Year.

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Note: this post originally had 67 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.