Planting eyes

[tootles]

I have given up trying to find 2nd crop seed potatoes here. I have bought the variety that I was after from a supermarket and will see if they chit. Most supermarket spuds here are treated to stop them from germinating so I have bought one bag to see. There are not nearly enough in the bag though and they are quite large (I heard that large seeds give small spuds and vice versa??). If they don't chit I don't want to have wasted 3 bags...... I have read (I think) that it is possible to plant the eyes rather than the whole spud. How is this done? Do I just cut up the spud and plant - won't this be liable to disease? or should I treat the cut end first (with what and how?)
Any ideas please???

[SlugLobber]

The treatment is simply chemicals sprayed on and like most chemicals, they will degrade over time and the potatoes may then chit. Try washing some first, as you'll have more chance of chitting. Don't know about the eyes only thing, sorry.

[rustylady]

OK, I can accept that they are sprayed with something to stop them sprouting, but how come they still sprout if you leave them in the cupboard and forget about them for a week or two? You can grow just the eyes, but it would take forever to get decent sized plants. If I were you I would wash them and then put them somewhere light and cool to develop little dark green shoots. Then plant. Or you could take a chance and plant now without chitting.

[tootles]

That was what I meant rustylady. Although I think it is also possible to take 30 chitted spuds, each with say 3 shoots, and chop them up so that you have 90 to plant???

[SlugLobber]

OK, I can accept that they are sprayed with something to stop them sprouting, but how come they still sprout if you leave them in the cupboard and forget about them for a week or two?

The spray is designed to stop them chitting during storage/transit and selling them. I doubt the grower gives a stuff what happens after! Like I said, the chemical degrades.

[tootles]

The treatment here is a selling point - they don't germinate in cupboard after a few weeks. I have bought some that don't say that they have been treated, so hopefully tht means they haven't!

[Two_Sheds]

The trouble with cutting your spud is that you increase the chances of rot setting in.

[Sanjo]

I couldn't get what I wanted either so have used a few chittings cut from spuds. Only planted three. Did them first in some compost in a pot just to see what happened. They sprouted little shoots so I have planted all three (I am trying the no dig method with them) in my little raised bed - more of an experiment ie in hope rather than expectation! They have been in the ground about a month and all three have healthy top growth. Probably nothing underneath but it helped fill the bed!!

[tootles]

A little more digging and I have found this;
Potato Planting: GardenGateMagazine.com - Issue 52 Online Extra
It's what I had in mind - but I think I shall wait for growth before chopping up my spuds.