Chitting potatoes

[binley100]

Help needed please.
I got tempted in Wilkinsons and got a bag of seed potatoes. They are Rocket which are earlies (though I'm sure a lot of you know that ) anyway my book says that you should chit them 6wks before sowing which means I've got to store them til Feb. Do you think they'd be ok under the stairs . It's not very warm under there as there is an air vent but it's not completely dark as there is also a small window.
Also the only places I've got to chit them is either the greenhouse or the conservatory (sash windows no window sills. ) would this be ok.?

[OllieMartin]

I too bought a sack of earlies from Wilkos yesterday.

According to the label and my gardening books they need to be kept cool and light to chit, so I would think a windowsil in an unheated room would be better than under the stairs.

[binley100]

I agree but I'm worried it's too early to start chitting them.

[OllieMartin]

My book has it as one of the 'Essential jobs for January'

[binley100]

Everything I read says different. I live a bit further north I think than you so I don't know if that makes a difference. My book says to plant at the end of march and start chitting 6 weeks before .

[OllieMartin]

Everything I read says different. I live a bit further north I think than you so I don't know if that makes a difference. My book says to plant at the end of march and start chitting 6 weeks before .

Doesn't the packet say when to plant them?
Are they 1st earlies? The ones I got are and it says "Feb-Mar" to plant out.

The chits do last quite a long time, the potatoes in my kitchen cupboard have been sprouting for a good 6 weeks...if only I could eat them quick enough!

[solway cropper]

Rocket are first earlies and very early but last year mine tasted like chewed up cardboard. Won't buy them again. It's still a bit early but if you stick them in the fridge till you need them they should be OK. I'm sure Tattieman will help with this.

[binley100]

mine tasted like chewed up cardboard. Won't buy them again.

Oh great . Guess I'll be looking for some others as well then

[tattieman]

Here is my section about chitting spuds chitting sprouting potatoes
There are lots more pages of info on my guides if you have time to read them.

[Shadylane]

Oh great . Guess I'll be looking for some others as well then

Not necessarily, just because they tasted naff for one person doesn't mean they will for you. Taste is a personal thing anyway and soil and weather can also make a difference, so I've heard. Our lottie neighbours always use Rocket and they love them. I can't remember what we did last year cause we were a bit naiive and disorganised BUT they were from Wilkos and I suspect they could have been Rocket. We loved them but to be honest you'd probably be impressed with anything compared to shop bought stuff.

[binley100]

Here is my section about chitting spuds chitting sprouting potatoes
There are lots more pages of info on my guides if you have time to read them.

Thanks tattieman . Very informative.

[Scottishnewbie]

i just picked up my seeds tatties from alan romans and he reckons that you dont need to chit as each seed potato only has a finite amount of energy in it and you dont want to use it all up in the chitting process! any got any thoughts/ideas please?

[tattieman]

In the latest news from the potato council independant trials found that chitting all seed potatoes was a major benefit to potato growers. It concluded that crops including maincrops could be harvested as much as upto 3 weeks earlier than non chitted crops. The savings for potato growers were into the thousands as the crops grew for a shorter period and required less spraying which saved alot of money.

[Scottishnewbie]

In the latest news from the potato council independant trials found that chitting all seed potatoes was a major benefit to potato growers. It concluded that crops including maincrops could be harvested as much as upto 3 weeks earlier than non chitted crops. The savings for potato growers were into the thousands as the crops grew for a shorter period and required less spraying which saved alot of money.

tattieman, many thanks for this - really useful. it's always so difficult to know the right thing to do sometimes isnt it! so glad you are on here.

[tattieman]

It really comes down to what suits your system. If they recommend that you do it commercially which would cost you £80 per tonne to do then it must be worth doing in the garden. The important thing is that you have all the information available to make an informed decision.