Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: cookie on December 28, 2006, 12:44:07
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I went in to a well known garden centre in Taunton yesterday to buy some fruit bushes and raspberry canes. Whilst I was browsing around, I saw that they were putting out all their seed spuds.If I bought some now, is it too early to chit them?
We chit our spuds under our bed in egg trays( very high bed, no heating on!) wher do other people chit theirs?
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On top of the wardrobes in the bedroom.... we will start at the end of Jan when we have been to potato day at Ryton.
;D
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I leave mine in a spare bedroom spread out in either egg boxes or on a tray.
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just bought some spuds today, whats the best way to look after them until i am ready for chitting as they are already tryin to sprout already
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Used to put them in egg boxes in the conservatory windowsills but it was a bit of an eyesore so I didn't chit at all this year, there was no difference as far as I could tell
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I thought I'd try not chitting some potatoes this year to compare yield - how do you actually stop them chitting - do you simply keep them in the dark until you are ready to plant?
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Decided I'm not going to bother this year, having read in Alan Romans' book that it's not necessary. Had them all over our bedroom two years ago, then in a greenhouse last year where they got wet when the roof leaked! So easier to go down the lazy route!
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how do you actually stop them chitting - do you simply keep them in the dark until you are ready to plant?
I just left them in their sacks in the shed until planting time, they hadn't started chitting by
then
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Which ever way you do it don't just leave em in them net bags that they come in for any length of time ..
If they chit in them its a right job getting em out ..You will find most of the shoots are tangled through the netting and then break of as you try to get them out ..
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I haven't done for years. Never noticed any difference in the crops.
In fact if I buy them too early and can't, won't or don't want to put them in, I place them at the bottom of the fridge until I'm ready.
My neighbour, who TOOK a lot of trouble to get his seed potatoes in, was ill in hospital a few years ago. He asked his son to put the potatoes in. He did. Just made holes in the ground in rows and dropped them in.
So, we all do that now, a sprinkling of compost earth on the top and they come up lovely.
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And here was me thinking I was getting a lesser crop. When I chitted spuds, the shoots were never more that half to threequarter inch. All thee books that say 4 inches for shoots ::)
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I always plant my few seed pots using a bulb planter - seems to work.
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All thee books that say 4 inches for shoots
Don't believe everything you read in books :o 4 inches ??? how do you keep them from snapping off when planting?
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It is cold rather than dark that stops them chitting, commercially they keep them in cold storage and/or spray with retardants. If you think about it they are naturally in the dark...
;D
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Well - when you think about it.........
Commercial growers don't chit - and look at the amount they grow!
Think I might do half and half and compare results!
Louise
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:) don't chit anymore, just bung em in/shades x
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We seem to be running the same query side by side. My potatoes as in picture under other title are in the spare unheated bedroom.
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If commercial growers don't chit, why are there so many designs for chitting houses & advisory temperature/humidity controls for different chitting requirements
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Is chitting for timing or quantity?
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If commercial growers don't chit, why are there so many designs for chitting houses & advisory temperature/humidity controls for different chitting requirements
Chitting CAN bring them forwards but it also reduces yield, as I said I noticed no difference at all so I won't bother giving myself the extra job
Perhaps half chitted & half not for those who are unsure?
BTW Alan Romans book is very interesting
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Chitting ensures they get away to a good start and avoids the slugs eating the little shoots that come from not chitting, I really cannot see how anything like chitting can reduce the crop, as you have complete control on whether you want quantity, by leaving all shoots on, or quality by reducing the numbers of shoots. The are no must or must not dos in gardening we all do what suits each of us.
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I really cannot see how anything like chitting can reduce the crop
Just because you can't see why, it doesn't mean that you're right. Anyhow of course we should all do what suits us, some will just have better results than others ;)
The technical term for chitting is "premature ageing" by the way, I'd love to go more deeply into the full explanation given by the guru himself but I'm not abouit to breach his copyright
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Who's the Guru?
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Sorry, thought I'd put it in an earlier posting
http://www.alanromans.com/product.asp?numRecordPosition=2&P_ID=689 (http://www.alanromans.com/product.asp?numRecordPosition=2&P_ID=689)
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If you explain in your words not his, you'll be in no danger of breaching copyright! Even a short section of it quoted so we could discuss it would be legitimate; it's not a total ban.
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Will try to remember tomorrow, I'm supposed to be in bed, up for work at 5.30
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I don't believe I have ever claimed to be right, I only say what I do and why I do it, I have always said at the start of any talk this is my way and if you do it in a different way and are successful then carry on in your way. I try to illustrate with slides the results I get and am prpared to be judged by that. Lats not get all uptight and start quoting other people's opinions at each other.
Just because you can't see why, it doesn't mean that you're right. Anyhow of course we should all do what suits us, some will just have better results than others ;)
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I personly don't chit, i lust plant them when i think the time is right and let mother nature do the rest , up to now she as not let me down. :)
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PLEASE don't let this simple thread develop into another bitchy harangue??
We all know that potatoes will 'chit' in their own good time - especially PFA!! - & if you received them in December, like we always do, it would not be sensible to leave them to develop a tangled mass of white roots. So, they're on a windowsill.
If you only get them a month before their normal planting date, as some do, then you're not going to get much of a 'chit' in that time? So?
OK - it's been a BAD morning!!
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PLEASE don't let this simple thread develop into another bitchy harangue??
Well said Tim, perhaps it's just cabin fever, from the wet weather ... ? :)
Derek
PS, I may try and rub a few chits off some of my Cara this year, to see if I can develop any massive bakers ...
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Tim, bitchy? please
Try re-reading my posts in a calm friendly tone not a shouty belligerent one
Curry, no one asked your opinion
ha, got you there ;D
Oh, Laurieuk, I can assure you that I'm not in the least uptight, as I said, everyone should do their own thing, I'm just explaining the reasons why I do it my way, what's wrong with quoting an expert on the subject? chill out people for goodness sake ::)
By the way, chitting brings on early growth & maturity but early maturity means that the plant can not reach it's maximum potential, this is the gist of Mr Romans point. He also goes on to say that planting in a warm soil will have far more effect on getting your spuds early
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well i never recieved my desiree potatoes till late and still managed to win the competion with 3 spuds and 30lb in weight without chitting ;D
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What a lot to take in ! To chit or not to chit?
After reading all these posts, OH has said that he will do what he usually does,egg trays under the bed. ;) ;)
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In theory probably the worst place ie. dark and warm but if it works for you what the heck ;)
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NO heating in our bedroom, also very high( old brass ) bed. At least 18" gap underneath :) :)
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brrrrrrr :o
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Back to PFA, please?.....they take so long to chit (or mine did last year), is it better to pre-chit rather than to plant them and cross fingers that they will in time do something before they rot off?
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I have never bothered pre chitting PFA, just plant and leave them to it
Derek :)
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I tried chitting PFA last year but they didn't want to! Eventually I just bunged them in the ground - they grew well, gave an okay-ish yield and tasted absolutely delicious!
Cheers,
Rob ;)
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So I'll just stick my PFA straight in.
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Have a look at http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2002/potatoconf/potatoconf2002.htm (http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2002/potatoconf/potatoconf2002.htm) for professional advice from Ireland.
It is also used by Dutch farmers in the commercially procuded video that I got from their trade organisation NIVAA see http://www.aardappelpagina.nl/explorer/pagina/seedsprout.htm (http://www.aardappelpagina.nl/explorer/pagina/seedsprout.htm)
Phil
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Interesting, I think it just goes to show that advice for someone in an agricultural setting may be different to that for the home grower
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First earlies mature in different way to other potatoes. So saying chitting reduces yield is a bit wide reaching.
"In my experience (and location and soil and growing conditions) chitting 2nd earlies/maincrop reduces yield" might be a bit more acceptable when you've tried it on a few dozen varieties. Alan Romans grows in Scotland and doesn't grow large numbers of varieties.
As older gardeners (nothing personal Tim ;))will no doubt agree there are many different ways of raising any given crop and which can all result in the same yeild.
As someone suggested try a few chitted and some not chitted (and planted at different times) and then base your growing method on your experience.
Phil
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As someone suggested try a few chitted and some not chitted (and planted at different times) and then base your growing method on your experience.
Yes, that is indeed what I suggested
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Laid mine all my varieties out in veg rack baskets yesterday. They are in a dark shed with no window for now.
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Laid mine all my varieties out in veg rack baskets yesterday. They are in a dark shed with no window for now.
Did the same with mine this morning :)
Fingers crossed
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Left mine in their plastic bags inside potato sacks will it be best in the racks and cover window? :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\
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don't they go wet in plastic bags ?
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I'm going over there now to take them out, back in ten. ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) :D ;D
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You were right Scousers they were sweating so I just left them in the potato sacks. :) :) :) :)
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i only know 'cos when i buy(cringe, cringe) veggies and fruit in plastic, it sweats and goes mouldy very quickly ;D
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:)
mine go in a unheated greenhouse / shades x
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Usually in egg boxes in a cold spare bedroom. :)