Need to plant my spuds..

[kittykat8]

planted mine in ground sometime in feb more at the begining than later and some are just starting to peak through the ground, they were planted just before the frost or cold spell came, I don't think it is as cold as it looks

marion

[Cutecumber]

Cornwall does have a particularly mild climate, however...

To the OP - those sprouts look the right colour but they are rather long. I've not tried that variety myself, perhaps it is something they do. There's nothing wrong with them, but it means you have to be much more careful when you plant to avoid snapping them off.

I can thoroughly recommend north facing windowsills for chitting - no direct sun to worry about but enough light to give you short stumpy shoots. I keep the south facing sills for the chillis and aubergines which need the warmth.

[zazen999]

My chitting is nowhere near yours, but I have deliberately tried to hold mine off this year as we won't be getting the lottie until april and I didn't want to be tempted to put them into pots like last year...so mine are in the garage [which has a semi-opaque roof], so not too warm either.

[jacob marley]

[QUOTE=Geo;190361]Spare room no heating on...

That's your theory up the spout J.M.


Geo..


Your are quite right it do's But the answer is in the window sill a nice big Cactus if it is warm enough for that it is two warm for the spuds .
Looking at the photo the ones higher than the window sill are ok but the ones lower than the sill are obvously reaching for the light there's the answer put them higher up and back from the window like the other dide of the room .
Jacobs tip of the day no1 .
How do you tell if the Scotch seed potato's you have bought are the real thing.
What you do is hold one up to the light and slowly turn it round and you should see little specks of glass that is only in the soil up there in Scotland something to do with the ice age .
Now every body leaves computor to go and hold spuds to light jacob

[Geo]

[QUOTE=jacob marley;190460]

Spare room no heating on...

That's your theory up the spout J.M.


Geo..


Your are quite right it do's But The answer is in the window sill a nice big Cactus if it is warm enough for that it is two warm for the spuds .
Looking at the photo the ones higher than the window sill are ok but the ones lower than the sill are obvously reaching for the light there's the answer put them higher up and back from the window like the other dide of the room .
Jacobs tip of the day no1 .
How do you tell if the Scotch seed potato's you have bought are the real thing.
What you do is hold one up to the light and slowly turn it round and you should see little specks of glass that is only in the soil up there in Scotland something to do with the ice age .
Now every body leaves computor to go and hold spuds to light jacob

It's still winter here in South Brum. J.M.

Geo..

[terrier]

Never heard of cuttings? Break the shoots off and plant them in pots for earlies. The seed potatoes should grow new shoots in a couple of weeks. That's my theory anyway

[Paulottie]

Heating or not... that is the warmth that has done that Geo. Daylight keeps them short and those are good sturdy (just too long)chits. An east facing porch window, a garage or frost free shed by the window is great. but don't worry you have done fine. As you know how long it takes you might follow 2sheds advice and keep them in the fridge till your ready, still ...they'll be fine

Plant them soon and keep earthing up then have fleece or newspaper or something and watch the forcast/weather pattern. When you plant you need to pack the top with peat(or substitute) to avoid knocking off your shoots. when back filling.

I'm a bit behind with chitting 1st's this year ...but my guide: plant first earlies around the spring equinox. 2nd's at the beginning of April and mains on St Georges day. Obviously its mild here in Sussex, And you just have to judge the year's conditions. I think Snadger has a good idea, plant a few in buckets in the greenhouse for a really early crop.

[Geo]

I shall plant the earlies Easter...
Here is a pic of some spuds I grew last year...image taken June 1 07



Geo..

[Nicos]

Well- you can see why peeps don't bother with chitting can't you!!!

Out of interest my chits are 1cm long and dark green and 'clumpy' if you know what I mean??
They have been chitting since I bought them (end of Jan ) in a spare west facing room, 10 ft from the window , with no heating.


I wait to buy them until then so they don't chit for too long, but it does put in a risk factor of them being sold out ( of that particular variety).
(I'm growing Charlotte and Rocket - and I plant them out on the same day Easter time-ish)

It's exciting - isn't it -to think we'll soon be digging up fresh yummy home-grown spuds!!!!

[Snadger]

............................... and I plant them out on the same day Easter time-ish)

It's exciting - isn't it -to think we'll soon be digging up fresh yummy home-grown spuds!!!!

Thats why the casualty departments need extra staff at Easter, for back injuries................everyones planting there spuds!