Allotments 4 All

Just put my tatties out to chit today in my hut. Here they are looking like swooning elvis fans.

first early: Red Duke of York
main crop: Salad Blue
main crop: Pink Fir Apple

very nice :-)

got mine saturday and only some are chitting ( forgot to get something to put them on :-(

My 24Kg of seed spuds takes up slightly more room and I'm not sure about their choice of music...  8)

24KG of spuds! Do you own 10 plots on the allotment?

Many of mine were already chitting despite being in the dark (cardboard box) in an unheated garage. I've rubbed the longer sprouts off and put them out in the light, but am now wondering if rubbing off the existing sprouts was a the right thing to do? :-\

Only five plots Stan...
8)

Five plots,  you must be super fit ;D

He's not joking either ;D, my 12kg are chitting nicely, apart from the PFA, does anyone know if these chit at all. I was told on the allotment that if you rub the chits off leaving just two or three, these will grow bigger spuds if you wanted these just for jacket spuds, has anyone tried this. I planted out six small first earlies (accent) in two large pots in the garden and covered with newspaper then a plastic covering as an experiment to try and get some early new spuds.  ;D ;D ;D

Pfa will chit, but not for a while yet! Late March/Mid April depending on the temp...
;D

Cheers Saddad.  ;D ;D ;D

I've never grown potatoes before and am having a go with some first earlies. For chitting, I am unsure whether to put them in the unheated greenhouse , the shed or the garage. What are the ideal conditions? ???

Quote from: saddad on February 12, 2007, 15:53:41
Pfa will chit, but not for a while yet! Late March/Mid April depending on the temp...
;D

Who says?  ;D

Got mine in the garage, and all looking great, starting to sprout a bit too.

Heres a pic too (back in January)

You're just showing off Rhys!
Frost free and light will do it for most varieties two choices...
;D

Got  my  Seed Potatoes, Chitting  up, on top of cupboards in Kitchen, am I doing wrong, will they be alright or should they be in the Garage ? ?

Since PFA is a very late potato, I wouldn't wish mine to be coming to life yet.

The time at which the tubers sprout is dependant upon the variety, some tending to start earlier than others, and the conditions - warm moist conditions being conducive to sprouting. A lot of the Scottish seed from WCF Phoenix (the main supplier to horticulture) has had sprouts on this year when delivered.

So keeping them in the dark, Barn Owl, is not the thing that will prevent (or enhance the chances of chitting).

Rubbing out eyes/sprouts reduces the number of stems that will be produced, as the tubers are fattened roots that come from the shoots, the fewer the shoots the fewer the tubers (they should compensate in terms of overall yield by producing fewer but large tubers).

If you want lots of small new potatoes then rubbing off is not the thing to do - conversely if you want baking sized spuds, it may be the thing to do if there are lots of sprouts.

A trial by HDRA members some years ago showed that even sprouts up to 12" long would produce (give or take a bit) the same yields as from the unchitted/ normally chitted tubers of the same variety. Provided that the sprouts are planted intact, this is very fiddly with long thing sprouts (so not a recommended technique for the "just bung 'em in brigade").

Phil

Quote from: philcooper on February 13, 2007, 08:11:44
Rubbing out eyes/sprouts reduces the number of stems that will be produced, as the tubers are fattened roots that come from the shoots, the fewer the shoots the fewer the tubers (they should compensate in terms of overall yield by producing fewer but large tubers).

If you want lots of small new potatoes then rubbing off is not the thing to do - conversely if you want baking sized spuds, it may be the thing to do if there are lots of sprouts.

B**gger :-[

Pntalbot you will find the kitchen will be too hot I would stick them in the garage they need light and to be in cool conditions. ;D ;D ;D