chitting

[Nicos]

As there is quite a debate on whether to chit or not -particularly with the main crop varieties ,I wouldn't worry too much!
What you don't want are spuds with long white chits (over say a couple of inches) as I find they don't do as well when planted out as they have already taken a lot of food from the tuber. You will get this if you store them in dark,warm places- like under the kitchen sink!
If it is too cold and light, then they may not even chit!But they will grow once planted. If the frost gets to them, they will rot. So, the choice is yours as to where you find suits you.
The window sill sounds fine, and if you keep the others on the warm floor, try to make sure they get as much light as poss to slow them down a bit.
The good news for you is that you have started chitting quite late, so they won't have the chance to over chit (hopefully!) before planting out. If you had bought them 3 or 4 wks ago then the ones on the floor could be well advanced by now!
Most of us order/buy early to make sure we get specific varieties as some specific types can be out of stock or sold out, and we may be sent an alternative variety which we don't really want. We then have to something with them so they don't chit in the netting bag and have to be cut out!( easily done ). Good luck and enjoy!!

[nick the grief]

You could put them on the balcony during the day and lift them in at night SG.

Or if you go to the local greengrocers (or market) and get some of the mushroom trays (the plastic mesh sort- they throw them away usually) you could stack them up on top of one another. These are also usefull for a garden seive - cheaper than buying one.

[sewer rat]

Our local GC has only just taken delivery of his seed stock, so we can't chit too early up here as the GC's won't let us !!
Geordie, you are quite correct - commercial growers do not chit !
Rat

[Jayneylass]

I've just received my seed potatoes

I am growing Lady Cristl this year; hubby requested salad pots, so that's what I'm growing.

Last year, GW & Monty Don carried out an experiment of chitting vs not chitting. The results were that there was negligible difference either way!

But being honest, once you receive your seed spuds, as an avid grower, I couldn't help but rip open the packet and started fiddling with mine. I'm chitting, simply because I just can't put them in the ground at the moment (too soggy & cold ) and at least I feel I can do something.

I'm also growing early peas (Meteor) this year. I've got my guttering ready; can I start sowing now in my unheated conservatory?

Can't wait for my onion sets to arrive and for the soil to warm up to plant them and Early Wight garlic.

[andrewo]

I forgot

I forgot about some potatoes the first year I was on an allotment, I had left them under the stairs and the runners off them were between 8" and 18" but not one for wasting I put them in the ground. I had also chitted for the first time that year, so I was interested to compare. They were the same variety, desiree, nadine and cara. Those I had forgotten and put in late, did better than the chitted potatoes.

I think chitting is okay if you want to get them in early, but I don't think it matters as long as you water at the right time of day and give them plenty of feed.

[nick the grief]

So long as your chits aren't too big they're OK I think JL.

As to the garlic, you could always put it into Plant pots and start it of like that and then plant them out. Onion sets too if you've enough pots.

The problem will come if the get going throught the warmth of the conservatory and then they get a check froma cold snap. this could make them bolt.

[Train track]

This is my first time on this site. I have a question that might seem silly! I have been growing potatoes for a few years. I have never cut them up to make more plants. Is this excepable or should I carry on the way I am and just plant them up whole?

[Lorna]

Hello Train track,

We've never done anything other than chuck the seed potatoes in, with a load of compost, to a tub. Always had great results.. That was in our previous life in Hertfordshire though, wonder if it will still work here. Just getting back to GYO this year but on a much bigger scale than before.

Lorna.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Train track welcome to the forum. Like Lorna we just plant the seed potatoes. I always rummage through the bags of seed potatoes though and try to buy bags with small potatoes in them. Are you planting seed potatoes or using potatoes from the supermarket?

[Jaxom]

I have seen a mate of mine cut potatoes into quarters and then plant them with wonderful results. All you have to do is make sure each portion of seed potato has at least one chit to it.
Jax

[Nicos]

What sort of crop do you get from a 1/4 spud? I try to find bags with larger ones in thinking they would produce more potatoes per plant !!! Have I been mistaken all these years?

[nick the grief]

In America they don't send seed spuds in the post because of carriage costs overr the long distances. They cut out the eye's with a bit of spud attached and grow them on like the micro propagated plants.

If you cut them you have to make sure the cut surface has healed up or you could get problems with pests & disease. A duting of sulphur will do the trick.

[Pete]

Sprouting/Chitting/Whatever?

I forgot about some potatoes the first year I was on an allotment, I had left them under the stairs and the runners off them were between 8" and 18" but not one for wasting I put them in the ground.

As a total beginner this year, I also put my newly purchased seed potatoes under the stair. Read this and "rescued" them. They have 3-6 cm pale white sprouts now.

Don't want to get involved in the "chitting debate" but will these be OK. It is still too early to plant, so can I break off these shoots, leave them, what?

BTW: As a young lad in Angus (many years ago ) I not only went tattie howkin', but a few of us were taken on during the Easter holiday to plant tatties as well. Half a sack of seed tatties hung round your neck and walk up and down the drills dropping them a wellie boot length apart. Although the trick on beginners was to tell them to make sure they dropped them eyes up, actually no care was taken to "eyes up", chits etc and the farmer seemed happy enough.

[Nicos]

Pete - I'd just leave them somewhere very light but cool. If you rub off some of the chits you will only get fewer but larger spuds to crop. OK if you want jacket spuds but not if they are salad spuds

[Lesley Jay]

Pete don't worry about them. They will be fine - just leave the sprouting bit on the potatoes and as Nicos said put them somewhere light.