Chititing Potatoes

[teamladd]

Hi all,

Im trying to decide what to do with my potatoes. Some people have said leave them in the dark, while others have said in the sun? What does everyone else do?

Cheers

[Two_Sheds]

in the light, not too warm.


plenty of spud threads on here, if you have a rootle around

[Nicos]

If you leave them in the dark, they grow leggy chits
Same with warmth.
So - cool and light as TS says

[chris]

Search for threads by tattieman too, he's an invaluable source of info about spuds on here!

[OllieMartin]

If you leave them in the dark, they grow leggy chits
Same with warmth.
So - cool and light as TS says

I cool and dark, and got leggy ones. Definately light is better.

[maypril]

Hi all,

Im trying to decide what to do with my potatoes. Some people have said leave them in the dark, while others have said in the sun? What does everyone else do?

Cheers

I agree with the others. Light is better because that gives short strong sprouts rather than long weak ones.

Although to be honest, it really doesn't matter. I've planted potatoes that have been stuffed in a drawer and forgotten about. I've planted potatoes that haven't been chitted at all. They all come up and produce a good crop. People like to make out that growing potatoes is some kind of black art, it's not. Potatoes are pretty easy to grow, no matter how you treat them.

[greasyfire]

If you put the whole poatoes in would the rotting potatoe part add extra nutrients to the grwoing plant.

[tattieman]

This subject does cause alot of confusion.
When I store potatoes I store them in the dark but this is because we do not want any eating potatoes to go green. All seed potatoes will have been stored in the dark before arriving at their final destination which puts them out in the light normally.
My advice would be that once you have received your potatoes and have them at home you might as well leave them in a room with light so that grow thick green shoots.
It is so hard to give a definitive answer as people purchase potatoes between November-March. I would think I am safe to say that if you purchase potatoes before the middle of January then I would keep them in the dark but check them once every 2 weeks and carefully remove any sprouts without damaging the eyes of the potatoes. If you purchase after mid January then I would keep them in the light and let them chit slowly by themselves.
I just did a new video last week on how to select the best eyes to leave on the potato for chitting.