CHITTING SPUDS

[organicandy]

 ;DHi all,not been on here for a while and noticed some of you have already chitted your spuds/ would i be correct in assuming you are growing inside?also i have decided to grow estima for my second earlys this year but im not sure when to start chitting them (for outside growing), can anyone put me on the correct path, regards to all and Merry Xmas, Andy

[organicandy]

[telboy]

oc,
Can't understand anyone chitting at this time of year unless you live in a very mild area or have a polywhatsit. The chits must grow to a ridiculous length for most people if started now.

[cornykev]

Hi Candy I won't buy mine until Jan and chit away until March, I think some on here are experimenting by putting in a few ealies under cover.  ;D ;D ;D

[saddad]

Well that was a first, put in a smilie and all the text disappeared...  :-\


I'm with Kev... Potato Day 24th Jan, then round up the rest. Chit until Mid March put out if mild or hold until April if not!  :)

[PurpleHeather]

Some of the potatoes I have bought seem to start sprouting at all times, no doubt imported varieties, who think that they are still in their own country where they can keep growing all year round.

Yet those of my own I set aside for next year, are still in a dormant state.

Most of us do a bit of experimenting, not necessarily in the hope to be productive, more for the fun of it.

We have just come back from Morocco where they have miles of land turned over to agriculture. It is not much further than southern Europe, nearer than Cyprus but the wages are much lower and they seem to have a climate perfect for growing. I expect to find loads of fresh vegetables from there in our supermarkets here in future.

[saddad]

Some potatoes have had dormancy virtually bred out of them... as a rule of thumb old varities and late mains such as Pink Fir have more dormancy than earlies and moderns...  :-\

[tim]

Tellboy - no!

Ours always go onto the windowsill in early December - never a problem.

And we are COLD!!

[RSJK]

There is no need to chit potatoes. They will grow without being chitted.

[Fork]

There is no need to chit potatoes. They will grow without being chitted.

Quite correct,the ones you leave in the ground by mistake while harvesting grow quite readily dont they?

[RSJK]

Yes they do Fork  ;) ;)

[manicscousers]

i've found several growing in the poly from last may's crop  :o
still, we've been eating them so can't be bad  ;D

[thegreatgardener]

how potatoes are stored is what leads to sprouting not any other factor.

[philcooper]

The sprouting is due the conditions for a given variety - commercially, ware (eating potatoes) are sprayed with chemicals or have gas surround them to reduce the sprouting.

Different varieties have differing tendencies to sprout, known in the trade as dormancy and a key factor in whether a variety will be a commecial success or not. The charactistics of varities, including dormancy, are to be found in the European Cultivated Potato database http://www.europotato.org/varietyindex.php

[tim]

Whatever - this thread brought back 2 old friends!!

[cornykev]

Good to hear from you Phil, I hope you are with us through out the spud season.  ;D ;D ;D

[tonybloke]

spuds are stored in giant refrigerated stores, with gas, to inhibit sprouting. bringing them in to the shop/house warms them up, they think it's spring........ ;)