When should i buy seed potatoes ?

[Minty]

I have just been informed by my local garden centre that early variety seed potatoes will be available a couple of weeks before Christmas. Surely if i buy them this early they will be no good come planting time in March.
As this is my first year on my allotment i am impatient for spring to arrive so the idea of buying seed potatoes BEFORE CHRISTMAS is very exciting.
But is this to early ?????? Thanks Minty

[shirlthegirl43]

I have just been informed by my local garden centre that early variety seed potatoes will be available a couple of weeks before Christmas. Surely if i buy them this early they will be no good come planting time in March.
As this is my first year on my allotment i am impatient for spring to arrive so the idea of buying seed potatoes BEFORE CHRISTMAS is very exciting.
But is this to early ?????? Thanks Minty

The garden centre should be able to advise re best method of storing them until planting time.

[Cutecumber]

Well, once you have your potatoes you can chit them - in a cool, frost free place, out of direct sunlight.

It is not uncommon to get seed potatoes around this time. I am expecting mine to be delivered shortly after christmas. They will sit in egg boxes and chit away happily until Easter.

[Flummery]

I get mine by post - and like Cutecumber's, mine usually come in early Jan. They can be left for ages if they are in a cold place. I put mine in the spare room - no heating, good but not direct light - and they produce strong dark green shoots which get away well when planted.
The people who sell them to you in March have managed to keep them in good nick until then after all, so it can't be too difficult.

[muckman]

Hi Minty, i buy my seed spuds just after crimbo, january sales not,
I put mine on top of me wardrobe to chit, i did say chit lol
The missus dont like em ther but thats women, but she dont mind eating em when ther pulled cooked and on on her plate.

[snake the squadie]

mate i do the same as every one else and dont plant mine till late march/early april (apart from last year as they went in at the beginning of march as it was a nice weekend and i couldnt wait any longer) and would start saving all your egg boxs from now on to chit them in

[Nicos]

Unless you can store the seed potatoes frost free but very chiiled, I would wait until Feb/March...if you get them too soon they will sprout, become leggy and produce a poor crop. Best to leave the problem of storage to those who can afford to make a mistake eh???

[Snadger]

I like to chit mine in full light on a shelf in the greenhouse! I have some there now, Desiree,Duke of York and International Kidney from last years crop. They seem firm enough now, are well greened and no sign of shoots as yet (thank cripes!)
I'll back these up with others i'll buy in the Spring!

[veg4681]

So seed potato delivered in January will take roughly 2 months to chit, ready by March for planting out?

[Cutecumber]

Unless you can store the seed potatoes frost free but very chiiled, I would wait until Feb/March...if you get them too soon they will sprout, become leggy and produce a poor crop. Best to leave the problem of storage to those who can afford to make a mistake eh???

I think we are talking about two different things, here...

buying (or keeping your own crop) and leaving until early spring, or...

buying and chitting straight away.

There is no problem with buying at Xmas or January if you can put your tubers in a single layer in a cool, light place to chit. They will be absolutely fine come March. I do it (and the others above have also clearly done this), and the crop is fine.

If you cannot recreate those conditions, nor can you cold store them, then leave buying them until you want to plant them.

[rustylady]

I would buy them as soon as you can, then you can control the conditions they're kept in. They need to be cool, light and frost free - not stored in the dark, warm environment of a shop waiting to be reduced in price. If they are kept warm and dark(ish) they will produce the sort of long white shoots that you get when you leave a bag of potatoes in the kitchen and forget they are there. Totally useless for planting.

[momol]

Hi Minty,

I ordered some conservatory potatoes some 10 days ago from Alan Romans and will only get them around Dec 07 or Jan 08. I think it should be ok to buy them now as you will need roughly 3 months to break potatoes dormancy.
Go for it...

Momol