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  • #1

    To chit or not?

    Sorry - I know this is a very oft asked question but I wouldnt mind an update if you feel patient enough!! I'm guessing some of you have experimented with chitting seed potatoes against not bothering? Any thoughts?

    For the record, I didnt chit last year (was too late and too keen to get them planted!) and had a reasonable crop (my first ever so nothing to compare against) - would it have been better for chitting first?
    Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance
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  • #2
    If I'm honest with myself, I think the only reason I chit mine is so that psychologically I think that that particular seed spud isn't a dud!
    Veni, Vidi, Velcro.
    I came, I saw, I stuck around.

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    • #3
      I think you can plant the early salad types (charlotte and nicola spring to mind) without chitting. I think all the others get chitted but suspect that the spud farmers round here don't sit counting the chits or make sure they are the right way up when they plant them!!!
      Happy Gardening,
      Shirley

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      • #4
        Heh, heh. I 'member sitting on a spud planting machine in a 10 acre field. The seed spuds came in sacks which were emptied into a hopper. There were two of us feeding spuds into cups which the machine then planted. No chitting. The chits would have been broken off most of the 'taties the way they were treated.

        There always seemed to be alot of manky spuds which went on our heads and down our necks as the hopper was refilled whilst the machine was moving .

        THEN there was the saga of gettin' 'em up again later in the year .
        "I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)
        "It is neccessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live" (also Alexandre Dumas)
        Oxfordshire

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        • #5
          I saw farmers planting potatoes last year, it was with tractor like machine ( a person drive another at the back) the same like JanieB said. I think it would not make any different chit or not but haven't done any experiment my self. Would like to hear the real experiment outcome too...

          Momol
          Last edited by momol; 25-01-2008, 05:16 PM.
          I grow, I pick, I eat ...

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          • #6
            I have a feeling that it's actually the other way around - you get a better yield if you chit earlies, but it's less vital with maincrop. You don't chit the late plantings either - those you can put in in August for your Christmas meals.
            I guess the farmers didn't bother with the 'This end up' business we faf fwith when planting our few seed spuds either! Amazing what you can get away with.
            Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

            www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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            • #7
              Yes, Flum, I agree - chit earlies rather than maincrops, but even earlies will manage without.

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              • #8
                We never chit ours, but probably only because the first time we ever grew spuds we knew nothing about chitting, so just chucked them in. We got a huge, delicious crop and, like they say; if it ain't broke.......
                Into each life some rain must fall........but this is getting ridiculous.

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                • #9
                  Knew I would get it wrong! I planted a couple of charlotte last year from supermarket spuds and didn't chit. They grew fine until the blight struck
                  Happy Gardening,
                  Shirley

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Flummery View Post
                    I have a feeling that it's actually the other way around - you get a better yield if you chit earlies, but it's less vital with maincrop. You don't chit the late plantings either.
                    That is correct reading from an article that came with my Marshall catalogue. It says Alan Tiichmarsh has said that it's a waste of time chitting except for early potatoes. This is because the soil is warm for later cropping varieties, chitted or not chitted. However for earlies it's better to chit to promote higher yields and early ones too - is that called giving a headstart ?.
                    Last edited by veg4681; 25-01-2008, 05:49 PM.
                    Food for Free

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                    • #11
                      Have just had all my seed potatoes delivered, how do you stop the later ones for planting in May from sprouting?
                      Sue

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sue View Post
                        Have just had all my seed potatoes delivered, how do you stop the later ones for planting in May from sprouting?
                        Sue
                        I think by storing them in darker places make them sprout a lot more and faster as I've noticed that with my Anya in kitchen cupboard for eating and by the window sill for chitting/growing . Even if they sprout, it doesn't matter much because you can rub them off with your fingers, supposedly this is what you do if you want a big bakers by rubbing off all but 2-3 strongest shoots prior to planting (though not recommended for earlies or salad potato varieties).
                        Last edited by veg4681; 25-01-2008, 10:21 PM.
                        Food for Free

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                        • #13
                          I think chitting was invented so that cheapskates could cut up the seed spuds into chitted sections to get more plants out of them. There again I'm just an old cynic.
                          I you'st to have a handle on the world .. but it BROKE!!

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                          • #14
                            To chit or not to chit, well its another old gardening humbug.

                            Its accepted practice to chit early potatoes as they are in and out in about 12 weeks and it gives them a start before they are planted.

                            As main crops are in the ground for much longer they are generally not chitted but of course they can be.

                            Of course you dont NEED to chit, so dont worry if you bought spuds late or didnt get around to it.

                            I must admit that I buy my earlies, well early and thus lay them in a tray to ensure that they dont rot, the fact that they chit is fine.

                            So, it ok to chit and its ok not to chit, the choice is yours.

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                            • #15
                              I bought some seed potatoes today. It will be my first time growing them (growing anything edible actually). Can you tell me how big, and what colour the 'chits' should be before planting? I can't plant mine till next Saturday anyway but is this long enough to wait? I've put them in the utility room, its light and it does get a bit warm in there. Should they be somewhere colder and darker? Thanks

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