do potatoes HAVE to be chitted?

[willowstar]

Hello everyone

I ordered my seed potatoes during the second week of February but they were only delivered on the 31st of March. I am worried that I don't have time to chit them before planting, especially the early variety. I have never grown potatoes before, but everything I have read says that should be chitted prior to planting. What should I do? Chit and plant late or plant now and hope for the best?

Any advice greatfully received

cheers

[shirlthegirl43]

Are you going to put them in the ground or grow in buckets? Some people say not to bother chitting so maybe it won't matter. This will be my second year growing spuds. Personally, if you are going to put them in buckets, I would say try some now and chit some and plant in a few weeks then you can tell us all what the difference is.

[Flummery]

Some people never chit them. It's said that you get a better yield if you do but that's hard to measure. You can't compare 2 seed potatoes exactly - number of shoots, size of spud, chitted, not chitted. If you have time, try both as Shirl says. You'll get a crop if you don't chit so I shouldn't worry. Life's too short!

[nick the grief]

it doesn't really matter Willowstar.

Last year I didn't plant my maincrop till May or the earlies come to that looking at the diary and we still got a good crop.

Early spuds are ready in about 10 - 12 weeks so you could still stand them somewhere bright & cool if you wanted. The Main crop take longer so it doesn't really matter if they are chitted or not.

[Two_Sheds]

This week's Amateur Gardening: Bob Flowerdew reckons NOT to bother chitting, saying that putting a chitted potato into cold soil actually checks its growth, not improves it. Suck it and see. I don't bother chitting, cos I'm lazy

[Flummery]

I do because my seed potatoes arrive too early to plant out! You pays yer money....!

[rustylady]

If they arrive late don't even try to chit them, just plant. I don't actually set out to chit mine, but I usually buy them early and if you leave them dark and warm they produce long white shoots which are useless. Hence I unpack them put them in egg trays and leave them somewhere light and cool. Therefore they chit themselves instead of going soft and rotten

[phil the shed]

oh chit !!!!!!!!!

to chit...........
or
not to chit........
that is the question
many times i've had a good chit
and not been very happy with the chitted crop
then i have'nt had a chance to chit and been desparate for a good crop and it has been delivered
still don't know if i've got time to chit.................

[Nicos]

Can you imagine farmers chitting their spuds???!
Not needed really -they just take a couple of weeks longer , but that doesn't bother me!
Also if you prefer a few larger spuds, then you would need to chit to remove some of the growing tips.
I actually do chit mine cos when they arrive in January, they need removing from the netting bags, so seems the easiest thing to plonk them in egg boxes and start them off. Got to put them somewhere!!!

[Alice]

I chit mine Willowstar, but just because I like to see something happening. Commercial growers certainly don't chit there's. As you've read on here, most people are of the opinion it makes no difference. Plant your potatoes , chitted or not chitted, and don't worry about it. They will get on fine.

[Tyto Alba]

I don't pretend to be an expert.....certainly not compared to some members on here.

But if you simply throw the potatoes at the ground they will grow in my limited experience.

[Flummery]

I've had spuds from potato peelings that sent out shoots & roots when stuck in a bean trench. TA is right, they'll grow whatever you do. 'The force is strong in them!'

[willowstar]

ooo, grand, i'll just pop them in their tubs and see what happens then. Thanks very much everyone, really appreciate the advice.

jackie