Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Jeannine on March 24, 2016, 23:26:03
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Hi, Cutting seed spuds in half is a debatable point. I have done it both ways. I have read many articles on how and when..eg chit them first ? don't chit them. Dry the cut/ don't dry the cut...etc so always when I try to read this question on the net the question gets lost in the other points and I can't find the true answer.
So.. cutting spuds...if you do it why do you do it?
If you don't do it why not?
XX Jeannine
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I grew 4 different varieties I only had only 1 seed for each variety. I cut each seed spud half. I let the cut pieces dry and did not chit them before I planted them out. I had 8 plants instead of 4.
Production seem to be a lot more then I would have had from a single seed potato of each variety. But that might been to several other factors but I was not keeping track of all factors that might effect production so not sure if it was because I had more plants or not.
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So if I have this right your reason was shortage of tubers.. good idea.and thank you XX Jeannine
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One of my experiments for this year is growing potatoes from sprouts - the annoying white shoots that have to be removed from potatoes in storage.
I just want to know what happens, not for any other reason. I stuffed the sprouts into potting compost and put them on the bench in the conservatory. They have all taken and rooted in quick time. There are big differences in the foliage. The Charlottes are sizeable plants with a lot of foliage and a good root system, the Harlequins are not far behind. The Sarpo Miras are well rooted but tiny plants. We will see what happens when I plant them out compared to potatoes from tubers.
Presumably it takes a little longer for plants to mature if they have less foliage. A cut potato with only one eye will only have one plant stem. Less green material = less photosynthesis and therefore it takes longer to get potatoes underground. Which in blight areas could mean the difference between a good harvest or a poor harvest.
Could we catch up this extra time with planting up cut tubers first indoors and transplanting? Frost protection in the early stages would certainly be needed. In a way this would be a similar experiment to growing from sprouts, as I will also need to frost protect my experimental plants. :wave:
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The chairman of a local society used to cut a piece off every seed potato before he planted it saying that he wanted the seed to rot and let all the goodness go into the new crop, another member used to grow from separate shoots of new varieties , he once showed 20 different varieties at the local show all grown from chits. I always chit but as is said we all have our own ideas.
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I am another one who does it when I am short on tubers or just being tight. I chit mine first then at planting time I chop up making sure there is at least one chit on each piece. I have never noticed a difference in final crop either. I don't dry or treat the cuts I just bung 'em in.
I also remember my Dad getting crops from potato peelings when I was little so never think of chopping up being an issue.
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indeed if im short some of the larger tubers circum to the knife if they are chitted make sure you have eyes on each half then away they go no problem farmers place the halfs in chalk to dry the wound before planting hope this helps
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So lots of info generally as I have found when I have investigated in the past.but still only two reasons why potatoes are cut /not cut which is what I am looking for .
1. For economy or shortage of tubers
2. Allowing rot in which aids new growth.
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The argument against cutting was always that it let diseases into the tuber, which infected the plants, and thus the following crop and affected storage... :wave:
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Thanks Saddad, so 1 for not cutting now.
XX Jeannine
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The argument against cutting was always that it let diseases into the tuber, which infected the plants, and thus the following crop and affected storage... :wave:
sounds like old wives tale to me saddad
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I've grown spuds from bigger tubers cut in two, and had no problems. I know someone who uses what he calls 'pull sprouts'. He plants them in a pot till they start to grow, then when they've grown a decent bit of root he pulls the sprouts off the tuber, and grows them separately. Apparently it works but he only gets a small crop off each one.
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Robert but why do you cut them, that is what I am trying to find out.
So far I have two who cut
1. For economy or shortage of tubers
2. Allowing rot in which aids tubers
One who doesn't cut
1, it allows disease in
I was hoping to hear some things like extra yield, stronger plants.
I have never been able to get real answers on this one. The post always turns into how folks do it. I want to find out why. It has puzzled me for years.
XX Jeannine
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I've always sowed whole ones simply because it's never occurred to me to cut them. I like to try to get three good healthy sprouts on each tuber and break off any excess (I read you get bigger potatoes that way) - I imagine it would be trickier to cut the potato in such a way that each piece has three good sprouts.
I suspect that the main reason why people cut or don't cut is because they were taught that way, and that's how they've always done it. People do lots of things for that reason.
I'd like to see some trials of cut vs uncut. That way we could just choose the way that produces best.
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Thank you Silverleaf, that makes sense. Yes I would like to see a trial too, in fact I may just do it, not many tubers but I have some which are rather large for seed potatoes but I have never cut them either, my reason is the same as yours..but when I got these big ones I started to read and here I am.
XX Jeannine
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I do like to see experiments! I'll definitely be interested to see your results if you do try it Jeannine.
Actually I've just thought of another reason why I don't cut - I have only a small growing space but I'm keen on trying as many varieties as possible, so sometimes I will only grow one or two plants of each variety. Last year I had space for 24 plants from tubers (I have room for 32 this year) so I grew two each of 12 varieties. Hardly worth the risk of cutting for that few plants...
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When I've cut them, it's been down to shortage of tubers. I only cut the biggest, so the bits are as big as some of the other whole tubers.
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I'll ask my father if he remembers why his father grew his "poppies" from peelings .
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sounds like old wives tale to me saddad ...
Probably is Rolling Rock... :wave:
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I have never cut them in half because when I started lottying I was advised about the disease problem
Although one of my Irish friends said he used to do it when he farmed in Ireland
One of the Italians used to cut the bottom of the spud off
I leave mine whole but do limit some of Kestrels to three chits. :tongue3:
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It would be very interesting for someone to tell us what decease is spread by cutting. blight is airborne, scab is caused through soil conditions.
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My father's father grew poppies from peelings just for fun , so not much help to you but I will ask someone whose father was a gardener on a large estate in the 20's and I remember him saying his father did something similar , back soon.
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Jeannine
My Father used to cut them. He then used to stick the cut edge in a mustardy coloured powder...no idea what it was. He did what his Father did with most of his gardening, so assume that's where he got this from ( his Father was a gardener on an Estate pre-post WW1.)
I don't know why he did it but I do know he used his magic mustardy coloured powder when he wintered his Begonias too.
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It is always a mystery to me that I cannot find loads of info on this subject. I always get lots of options on how to do it and much of it is fascinating but still I cannot get a real answer as to why.
We got a couple of folks who do it for economy and a couple of "don't do" for disease prevention , and one interesting answer for cutting to help the spud rot which in turn benefits the new potato.
I have tried several times to get an good clear answer on this topic. I have sat in meetings with gardeners and asked and still I get what folks do but not why.
I have come to the conclusion that this may be the same as the Jewish question " why do you cut the end of the brisket before you cook it?" Mum did it, lets ask her, Grandma did it , lets ask her, Great Grandma did it lets ask her... Great Grandma explained because her pan was too small and it became a habit.
So I figure that this is the case here, no one really knows why they do/don't do it, they always have, their Dad did. their neighbours did etc etc.
I doubt we will never truly know. :wave:
XX Jeannine
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I think you have hit nail on head. A lot of what I do in garden is what I remember seeing my Dad do. Maybe this was more the case in past before Internet/Allotment4all forums existed...so you copied what you saw.
I also wonder if there would be regional trends. In knitting I used to tuck needle as that's what my relatives (Scots) did...then discovered the Internet and circular needles and taught my girls...so they don't anchor needles like my relatives/ ancestors.
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Hector, I knit all the time, I make Prayer Shawls and Baby Layettes, when I am working in Shetland 1 ply wool with over 900 stitches on I too work on circulars but for needles I can't knit with them tucked under my arm, and if I use a long needle not tucked under I get bruises so I only knit on 10" needles.
XX Jeannine
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I'm the same! My mum taught me to knit and she tucked her long needles under her arms, but I never got the hang of that and flap all over the place. Circulars are wonderful.
I like crocheting better though, just the one hook to deal with. ;)
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I asked my mate whose father was a professional gardener way back ....he grew potatoes from peelings to show off, no other reason.
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Now that is the best answer yet.. to show off.. well as gardeners most of us like to do that sometimes.. well done, you win the prize!!
Anyway mine are now in. some cut some not. I must admit I was more tempted with one batch as the potatoes were fingerlings in small expensive packets and one was huge, but I stuck to my guns and planted them whole, so in the planting there was one big enough to bake and one as small as a walnut plus variable sizes in between. In another planting I did another bag of the same kind which again had big and small in, these I cut in half.. so we will see.
XX Jeannine