Kestrel seed potatoes

[annacruachan]

Last week I bought 1/3 of a kilo bag of Kestrel seed potatoes. When I got them home and put them out to chit, I discovered that some of them have white shoots instead of purple. My memory of last year's Kestrels is that all the eyes were purple. Does that not mean that the shoots should be purple too? I asked in the garden centre today but the chap who runs it didn't know.
Somebody here will, of that I'm sure, so thank you in advance.

[Jillyreeves]

The shoots are white because they have been kept in the dark. Break these off and re chit in the light and they will be purple as expected.

[annacruachan]

Thanks, Jilly. I knew some wise grape would have the answer.

[RICKYM]

hi Does it matter whether the chits are puple or white ??

[Snadger]

hi Does it matter whether the chits are puple or white ??

Kestrel have purple shoots............if they aint purple....they aint Kestrel!

I am chitting Kestrel and Winston next to each other in the light, Kestrel have purple chits and Winston's are green!

PS If they have been kept in the dark they may be white until exposed to the light?

[Shadylane]

hi Does it matter whether the chits are puple or white ??

White shoots are the equivalent to a leggy tomato. They'll be weak and spindly cause the shoot will have been searching out light where there aint much. You want strong stumpy-ish shoots, not long thin white ones

[RICKYM]

So do you suggest rubbing out the white shots and starting again ?? Sorry I'm new to this

[Jillyreeves]

I would be tempted to rub them off, but have no experience of your problem as I have always chitted mine in the light. Im sure someone more experience in this area will be along to offer better/more help :-)

[Shadylane]

Yes, rub them off and let them re-chit - they should grow back. Not particualrly experienced either but that's what people say. 'They' are also saying that chitting isn't essential or even necessary so don't worry if you only have little shoots by the time comes round to planting.

[morgs]

I had execatly the same problem four or five weeks ago. The advice from an old gardening book was to rub the white shoots off and put them out to chit. This I did and all my seed potatoes now have healthy looking purple shoots.