Still too cold for my potatoes....

[Deb P]

I was hoping the temperature in the mini greenhouse inside my cold greenhouse would be high enough for me to move my chitting potatoes into it as they are cluttering the house up.......I've just checked the thermometer I left inside it,  minus 6 was the lowest in the past 3 days, 20 the highest! Looks like they will have to stay in the house for the time being..... ::)

[Deb P]

[Tee Gee]

I was hoping the temperature in the mini greenhouse inside my cold greenhouse would be high enough for me to move my chitting potatoes

Mines are out in a cold greenhouse and have been for a couple of weeks now even during that cold spell.

The only protection they had apart from the glass was the cellophane lining I use to insulate (in lieu of bubble wrap)

Is it possible to rig up a bit of a temporary tent/cloche which you can put over them if the weather forecast is for severe frosts.

It doesn't have to be anything fancy a couple of bent coat hangers and a bit of fleece would do.

You can put it on in the evening and remove it in the morning.

I'll leave the idea with you!

[beckydore]

mine are really cluttering up the utility room too.... and i've only just realised they shouldn't be near the window. Some of them are now 1/4 inch long.

Should I be moving mine somewhere to slow down the growth?

[sarah]

why no put them near window?

[cornykev]

Mine are in my small plastic greenhouse, no problem except for the condensation on the inside of the roof, so I put some cardboard on the top shelve to stop the drips. Becky near the window no problem.  ;D ;D ;D

[caroline7758]

Haven't even startedchitting mine yet, as no room until we've finished decorating!

[saddad]

Keep an eye on them Caroline or they will make long thin 6" shoots almost overnight which are no good as they get knocked off at planting!
:-X

[Jitterbug]

I chit mine on a north facing window sill every year and no problem.  Although it does not yet direct sunlight at this time of the year.  My sons are moaning like drains because their windowsills are so packed.  My eldest son (28 years old) bitched when I put an egg carton holding my beloved Kind Edward potatoes on his model motor car.  Mmmm big boys and their toys.

Jitterbug

[kenkew]

Little ditti thingy...

Chit spuds and onions. What is right?
Keep cool and away from direct sun-light.

[antipodes]

well mine were already sprouting in the bag!!! (they have been in a cool dark cardboard box for two weeks)
so I have laid them in egg trays anyway on the top of the cupboard in the unheated pantry. But what can I do as the sprouts are getting quite long??? Will I really bugger them up when they are planted? These are my earlies that are doing this, I wanted to wait another 2 weeks before planting... even though it is quite warm here. Or could I plant them now and cover them to warm the soil??? thought spuds were easy but there always seems to be something you forget :S

[calendula]

my first earlies are going in over the next 2 weeks, then it will be fingers crossed that the next full moon phase doesn't bring a bad frost - then we are off and running  ;D

[lancelotment]

Planted my earlies on Good Friday last year but Easter is sooo early this year.

[manicscousers]

ready to be shot down in flames, here goes
our earlies are going in on saturday, along with the onions, if it gets a bit cold, I'll cover any growth with fleece or newspaper, thing is, we missed the blight last year, all our spuds go in in march, the rest will be in before the end ..we had fantastic spuds last year  :)

[kenkew]

well mine were already sprouting in the bag!!! (they have been in a cool dark cardboard box for two weeks)
so I have laid them in egg trays anyway on the top of the cupboard in the unheated pantry. But what can I do as the sprouts are getting quite long??? Will I really bugger them up when they are planted? These are my earlies that are doing this, I wanted to wait another 2 weeks before planting... even though it is quite warm here. Or could I plant them now and cover them to warm the soil??? thought spuds were easy but there always seems to be something you forget :S

You have long growth due to the dark. The shoots are looking for light. Any really long sprouts can be removed. New ones will form.

[calendula]

ready to be shot down in flames, here goes
our earlies are going in on saturday, along with the onions, if it gets a bit cold, I'll cover any growth with fleece or newspaper, thing is, we missed the blight last year, all our spuds go in in march, the rest will be in before the end ..we had fantastic spuds last year  :)

no flames here  ;D it is the perfect time - first earlies don't get blight (or shouldn't as they are in the ground for such a short time) - doesn't matter when you put mains in, if there is blight around they might succumb or not

[manicscousers]

we had to take our desiree (main crop) out on 24th june due to the weather and them sitting in water..I know it was an exceptional year for rain but just look at the harvest  :o

[cambourne7]

ready to be shot down in flames, here goes
our earlies are going in on saturday, along with the onions, if it gets a bit cold, I'll cover any growth with fleece or newspaper, thing is, we missed the blight last year, all our spuds go in in march, the rest will be in before the end ..we had fantastic spuds last year  :)

Yes mine are going in on sunday and i plan on covering in wet newspaper to help insulate them a little, its either they go in this sunday or not for another 3 wks.

[RosieMcPosie]

this is exciting!! hope to put mine in too now i've seen this! yay

[helsbels_89]

Yay

You have also made me very happy. Really want to get my pots in in but was worried about still too cold. They have been chitting for about 8 weeks now and still only 1cm long, is this ok?

I also only have small raised bed 4ft x 4ft how many should i put in??

This is first time if you had not guessed!!

[Deb P]

Well, I've bitten the bullet and moved them to the 'greenhouse within in a greenhouse' arrangement with a double layer of fleece just in case. I had to really, I needed the room for my heated propogator by the windowsill. All the varieties have nice dark purple or green chits about 1cm long, so it's really just an acclimatisation to a colder climate before they are planted in a week or two. They are all first earlies, so I've put some black polythene over the beds where they will be going, and then I'll cover them with fleece if I have enough...must check!

Helsbels, your chits sound fine, I think the maximum I would try in a 4x4 bed is 4 potatoes, I'm putting 10 in my 8x4 beds, I'm sure other people will have other thoughts!