Author Topic: chitting potatoes (Read 10631 times)

tim · « **Reply #20 on:** January 27, 2006, 17:07:49 »

Gail - Shoots - as Jerry says. Two of our lots arrived with shoots. Had it been Nov-Dec, I might have thought differently.
Balfour? Grew it last year because it is 'blight resistant'. So didn't spray. Colleen, next to it, got blight first, then Balfour. It was looking great until then.

amanda - We like Epicure. Which way up? See my photos. Let them decide!

grawrc - just goes to show!! Quite usual in our experiece. You can almost see in the photo - they're coming out top, bottom & sides! So this is a case where I would rub out, leaving the best bunch.

growmore · « **Reply #21 on:** January 27, 2006, 17:42:09 »

I think T&Ms description should have included a pic explaining rose end ..
Removing chits from all but fat end of potato(rose end) and planting them this way up I think makes em easier to earth up .Gives You better sized tatties ...does this explain the rose end better?.
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/gg9.php
cheers Jim .

tim · « **Reply #22 on:** January 27, 2006, 18:20:42 »

I just love this!! Yes - that was one of the 'dark place' quotes that I mentioned.

The fat- ter end?? So many are perfect ovals. Or like this? But I DO know exactly what you mean.

Just goes to show that even we can re-invent the wheel?

mc55 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 27, 2006, 18:55:15 »

Aha ! So thats what the blue trays stacked neatly in my potting shed are for :D :D

Cheers guys

Tulipa · « **Reply #24 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:15:52 »

In Growmore's link is the answer to a question I posted a while ago, which was where could I get seed potatoes to grow for Christmas. The link says to buy them now and keep them in a cool place until July/August. Does this mean a fridge or just, say, my garage, just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this.

This is perfect for me as I only grow my potatoes in containers, I can grow my normal crops, go on holiday, then start again, without giving a friend the extra stress of looking after potatoes for me.

Many thanks.

grawrc · « **Reply #25 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:28:40 »

Yes Tim and Growmore I agree that some of them are obvious but just as many ain't. However, with a bit of care, it can be worked round.

amanda21 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:29:39 »

Can I just ask one more daft question please? Am I aiming for just one good shoot from each potato - ie rubbng off all others?

sandersj89 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:42:23 »

Quote from: amanda21 on January 27, 2006, 19:29:39

Can I just ask one more daft question please? Am I aiming for just one good shoot from each potato - ie rubbng off all others?

Some may suggest rubbing chits/sprouts of but I have never bothered.

Some say that removing sprouts will reduce the number of chits but increase the size of the tubers at harvets.

I tend to leave as is.

HTH

Jerry

tim · « **Reply #28 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:43:05 »

amanda - NO!!

If I misled - you can rub off any but the best end lot - &, if you want BIG potatoes, leave only a few of those. They say.

I never bother & see my photo on Potato Choice.

amanda21 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:45:26 »

Thanks :D

sandersj89 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 27, 2006, 19:47:50 »

Oh, and forgot to say, all my seed tubers arrived today from Tuckers. All looking very healthy and no sprouts as yet. They will be laid out in egg trays at the weekend.

Jerry

pakaba · « **Reply #31 on:** January 27, 2006, 20:05:54 »

Quote from: tim

Whatever you do, you'll get potatoes.

I couldn't agree more ;D.

I didn't get the allotment until the end of June last year and the evening i was offered it i went down, dug over a small area and threw (literally)in about 8 seed potatoes, 'King Edward'. I had meant to find a patch to put them in in the back garden but never got round to it.
I knew it was late for them to go in but atleast they had a chance of growing, at home they were just being eaten by beasties. I watered them every once in a while and threw on a handful of chicken manure. I eventually dug them up mid October and could not believe :o how well they did. (photo opposite) I don't know what sort of crop is normal for this type, but considereing the lack of TLC these received they excelled themselves. And i had new potatoes on my plate in mid October. This year I plan to hold a couple back and put them in late.

Theres been some great tips on this thread for us 'newbies' thanks, and i certainly plan to give my pototoes alot more care this year.

Pakaba :)

weedgrower · « **Reply #32 on:** January 27, 2006, 23:29:39 »

surely it is the dark that helps chitting. how many of us have had a bag of potatoes in a cupboard only to get them out and find that they have sprouts all over them

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #33 on:** January 27, 2006, 23:55:20 »

Yah but no but it tends to make them bolt once they start to sprout in the dark and you will end up with lanky shoots that may snap in transit and planting. :o

Hark at me I've only ever grew them once last year, nice crop tho. ;D

tim · « **Reply #34 on:** January 28, 2006, 07:26:17 »

Yes - wg - a bag of s/market Cara in June. But was that not summer warmth contributing??
So just stuck them in & had a great crop in September.

Sorry Phil - I know that that's naughty. Never again!!

Debs · « **Reply #35 on:** January 28, 2006, 08:23:59 »

All this talk on chitting potatoes reminds me that i MUST start to chit

mine.

I am growing pink fir & Charlotte for the first time this year and

will grow some of my earlies in pots.

Debs

P.S. Tim,

Its lovely to have you back again.

mat · « **Reply #36 on:** January 28, 2006, 23:20:19 »

okay, so all this talk of chitting... I now have all my potatoes (courtesy of the potato day) so how do you suggest I store the maincrop potatoes to avoid chitting for as long as possible? How do I avoid the chits getting too long before planting in April?

mat

tim · « **Reply #37 on:** January 29, 2006, 12:35:07 »

Para-jumping??

Really don't know more than has been said. I follow one method where I keep all seed in the cool dark until the shoots start appearing. Then into cool, full light.

I've never found a need to push things along. And no one has really explained whether it's the dark or the warmth or the light that brings sprouts on more quickly!!

For those who get their 'earlies' seed very late, I still see no purpose in keeping them weeks until they sprout. Far better to get them in?? Don't ask me!!

peterpiper · « **Reply #38 on:** January 29, 2006, 14:38:36 »

tests have been done ,re/planting non-chitted pots and by all accounts they produced quite well.
im going to experiment with some rows this year.
pete

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Author Topic: chitting potatoes (Read 10631 times)