seed potatoes

[kittykat8]

I have picked up my seed potatoes today I am going to plant in the polytunnel do I chit my potatoes or not. It is warmer here in cornwall but will be planting in polytunnel.

Thanks
Marion

[Pompeylottie]

Lucky you! that's early, we dont get ours delivered to our allotment shop until Jan 10th I always chit ours in egg boxes which seems to work okay. I usually plant a few early spuds end of February, the rest in March but I dont have a poly tunnel.

[kittykat8]

Trago mills have them in, there branches in Newton Abbot,cornwall, and Merthyr


marion

[StephenH]

John Seymour, in 'The New complete self-sufficient gardener', says that you need to chit earlies, but it isn't so important for maincrops - it's still best to, but if you just bung 'em in the ground you'll get a crop anyway.

Many years ago, HDRA did a members' experiment, comparing conventional chitting with chitting in complete darkness. The latter produces long, pale shoots, as opposed to short, dark ones the conventional way. The conclusion was that if you can plant the long-shooted ones without breaking the shoots, you get a significantly bigger yield - but it is very easy to break the long shoots, so you have to plant them very carefully.

[gojiberry]

No sign of trago in Merthyr yet though it has been promised for about ten years now. Was in the Devon one yesterday and noticed the seed potatoes, was almost tempted to get some.

Ian

[kittykat8]

I have planted someof the potatoes in a raised bed that is in the centre of the tunnel, one row of swift,one accent and a row of chited anya from sainsbury.

The potatoes that are left are on the dinning room table and will leave to chit and will plant down the sides of the tunnel and will see if there is any difference, come april. Just have to hope that we do not get a cold january like last year.

maz