My potatoes are in the shed at the moment - frost free but cold, and dark. I intend to chit them, but indoors is a constant 23 degrees. We don't have any cool rooms. How would you chit in those circumstances? Is 23 too warm? (guessing yes)
Whatever your hopes, I say let 'em be? They'll do their own thing. You won't tell the difference. Spread out, I trust?
23C? Turn it down or you'll mature too soon!! Our average is 15C!
keep them in the shed where it's cool. light or dark doesn't seem to matter.
Quote from: LauraB on January 23, 2007, 20:29:49
indoors is a constant 23 degrees. We don't have any cool rooms.
Lucky you! ;D
Re pots: we're not planning on chitting so will be keeping ours in the garage (cold, dark, but well ventilated) until planting out time. x
15? Crikey. I'd never be able to lever myself out of bed :D
Maybe I'll turn it down a degree or two. ;).
They are in seed trays, one per hole, so I'll leave them be. Thanks everyone!
Quote from: watkin girl on January 23, 2007, 20:35:08
keep them in the shed where it's cool. light or dark doesn't seem to matter.
It does,
if they sprout in the dark, the sprouts will be long thin and pale - not what you want!! :'(
Phil
I'll second that, light is a must
Sorry - meant let 'em be until they show signs of sprouting. Could be a long time. THEN give them light.
On the other hand, contrarywise, it has been shown that tubers with long white shoots cope just as well. An excuse for failure, I reckon!
I don't chit mine a lot a messing around for nothing. Just put them in the ground when the time is right stand back and off they go :)
I've got the same problem, my downstairs is heated, so I have them upstairs in an unheated room, but it's still warm. They do get some light up here, at least. I have no shed/garage/porch to put them in.
Yes, Froggy, but they often do their own thing way before you're ready to put them out?
I put mine on a windowsill downstairs at about a steady 20 degrees with good light. They chitted well to about an inch and gave me a bumper crop. In fact I'm still digging them up as I'm preparing for this season.
If they do they do!if they don't they don't!, what i should of said was why worry as far as I'm concerned it makes no difference, as soon as they are in the ground they grow if ya chit or not. Ive even rubbed off all the long white shoots on the reduced end of stock bag from B&Q thats sat on the self for a month ,and still got a good crop, it's how you look after them once in the ground what determines a good or bad crop.
Amazing thing, Nature??
QuoteIf they do they do!if they don't they don't!, what i should of said was why worry as far as I'm concerned it makes no difference
Admirable attitude
Your so kind ::)
I'm serious, far too much ponsing about with stuff these days
Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen it is then. :)
I'll put them under the shed window and leave them to it. Bet they're shivering though!
Someone's got to make money by writing up guide lines - like 'new' recipes?
Musn't forget though that, commercially, they use 'chitting houses'?
tim - that reminds me of that quote from 'The Name of the Rose', something like
There is no new knowledge, just a sublime recapitulation
QuoteMusn't forget though that, commercially, they use 'chitting houses'?
Doesn't justify me doing it though Tim, most things in agriculture don't transfer to horticulture in any useful way
Quote from: Merry Tiller on January 24, 2007, 20:01:59
I'm serious, far too much ponsing about with stuff these days
yeah! - it would be much nicer to turn up in the car, lob everthing over the fence and come back 6 months later to an allotment full of spuds, carrots etc... ::) but what would be the fun in that....
Just a talking point - as you well know?
I thought I was just talking about it ???
Quote from: keef on January 25, 2007, 11:38:12
Quote from: Merry Tiller on January 24, 2007, 20:01:59
I'm serious, far too much ponsing about with stuff these days
yeah! - it would be much nicer to turn up in the car, lob everthing over the fence and come back 6 months later to an allotment full of spuds, carrots etc... ::) but what would be the fun in that....
Oh i don't know made me laugh
Oh great, it's back ::)
Quote from: Merry Tiller on January 25, 2007, 23:56:52
Oh great, it's back ::)
Don't know how to take that me being sensitive and all :-\
Don't worry, It wasn't in reference to you, it's the abusive PM sender up above
who do you mean merry ? me ? ;D
I'm lost ! ??? ??? ???
"We see further, standing on the shoulders of Giants"
;D
Oh blimey, it's all getting a bit confusing eh ??? .
Someone take me home. ::) ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: kitten on January 26, 2007, 18:34:12
Oh blimey, it's all getting a bit confusing eh ??? .
Ya not kidding.....we are still on about chitting...or have i missed something. ???