Q Why do potato tubers turn green?

A Exposure to light causes potatoes to turn green. This can happen while they're growing or after they've been harvested.

Caption: Exposure to light turns potatoes green

Q Can I eat potatoes that have turned green?

A You can't eat the green parts as they're poisonous but you can cut off any green bits and eat the remaining normal flesh.

Q How can I prevent potatoes turning green?

A Avoid exposing your potatoes to light. Earthing up the stems while they're growing will help prevent any shallows tubers turning green. To do this put soil from the surrounding ground over the plants as they grow to cover them up. The plant will grow through this soil so you'll need to earth them up several times. Continue doing it until they're too big to cover. Potatoes grown in bags or containers need to be covered with compost as they grow.

Stored potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place.

Caption: Cover potato stems with soil to prevent light reaching shallow tubers