Living in Alaska with the short growing season, I’ve found that it works better to sprout your potatoes by taking them out of the cellar about a month or two before actual planting.
When you take them out of the cellar, where do you put them? In water, in the light inside, or outside, or just anywhere? This (last) year was my first year planting potatoes as an adult. I tried with my dad once as a kid, but had no luck because of the soil. He preferred to pay the 50 cents for the sack of potatoes from the store, lol. Not so with the good stuff like tomatoes, squash and watermelon. Those I had to slave in the hot Las Vegas sun for. But I wouldn’t give up working with my pop for anything!