Can spuds be chitted too long?

[redser]

Hi - I have had my maincrop spuds chitting since January but I just haven't had the time to get them in the ground. Tomorrow is the big day at last. They have fine short thick spiky chits but the spuds themselves are gone very wrinkly looking. Just wondering will this have an effect on the yield?
Thanks!

[Jeanied]

I'm in the same boat Redser - all my precious taters are still chitting in the back bedroom. I am planning to get at least most of them planted this weekend - hoping to get them all in!
I am sure they will pick up when they get planted - once they are going well you may want to be extra nice to them with a foliar feed or two.
Not sure if it will affect the yield - but I am not going to start all over again so these are the ones going in!

[cazp]

...same here.

I planted half my seeds today in buckets, and kept half back and was going to plant them in about 4 weeks just to try and stagger the harvest... was only wondering today if they would last out that long..

[Potstubsdustbins]

The remains of my main crop are in the same state. They won't be going in till next week as I am waiting to empty the last dustbin of used compost. I have to do this every year and have found no ill effect. Get em in.

Colin

[Matt94]

the spuds will be fine - the wrinkles should not affect the overall yield! and cazp i think yours will be ok too - just think how long they've been in storage and on the store shelves.

[redser]

Great, thanks for the replies. They've been whispering to me at night 'plant me, plant me'. Good to know there'll be no ill effects.

[BarleySugar]

Last year we planted our potatoes (main crop) in the school allotment at the end of May because the ground wasn't ready before then. They were very wrinkly, but with short stubby chits. The children watered them a bit before the summer break, and then they were left to themselves. We dug a good harvest when we went back after the summer holidays.