Allotments 4 All

I have just over 200 potatoes chitting in my shed.  I have noticed over the last week that they are now growing little green leaves, is this normal and should they be in the ground now because of this?
Also from advice on 'Allaboutliverpool's' website I decided to have a go a growing some Tesco's Exquisa spuds.  They have chitted lovely but the spud is green, are they okay?

All my spuds chitting:


The leaves:




Tesco's exquisa:

If you mean like this then that is quite normal;

Mpdjulie, the shoots should be green and that is what chitting produces.  In my opinion it doesn't matter if the potatoes themselves have turned green as it is the new roots that form and produce the new potatoes.

I grew Tesco Exquisa last year and have some chitting for this coming season.  I didn't get many tubers from them but I was very late in planting them (early June) and had them in pots.  I am going to plant mine out in April this year and into the plot.  Hopefully I will get a better crop.  

Some of my varieties are producing red leaves.  And some are also producing white sideways shoots.

That's is exactly what my spuds look like - for some reason my pics wouldn't upload but they are available in my gallery in the 'Necho' folder.
Thanks for you all putting my mind at ease.
;D

I've had mine chiiting for about 4 weeks and they don't seem to have grown at all?

Are you sure they are seed potatoes because supermarket ones are often sprayed with something to inhibit sprouting?  Also some varieties seem much slower than others.  While one variety called Kubis is on a take over bit of my spare room and Orla is not far behind.  Good thing I only had five of each. :o

White shoots sideways is roots, and they normally only form if the spuds are in the dark.... All mine currently look like TeeGee's picture except for the fact that all of them except the PFA's (easy to spot) have the variety type scribbled on them in markler pen.... I've got a lot of different types this year and need to keep track of them....

chrisc

Quotehave the variety type scribbled on them in markler pen

Thats too much hassle for me I'm afraid!

This is my method of demarcation, can't even be bothered about using the egg tray method;

How soon will they be going in, TeeGee?

One thing I've noticed is that PFA takes a lot longer to chit than most, bourne out in how well it's kept.... adn it's a late maincrop by our standards...

chrisc

Has anyone ever cut the chitting spuds in half and seen what the yield is when planted?

Quote from: GlentoranMark on March 16, 2010, 18:00:03
Has anyone ever cut the chitting spuds in half and seen what the yield is when planted?

we're doing this with the kestrel this year, only got 14 spuds in 2kg , they're huge :o

QuoteWhite shoots sideways is roots, and they normally only form if the spuds are in the dark....

All my chiiting potatoes are in good light and the ones producing while side shoots are on a windowsill. 

If I could find my camera cables I could charge it and and download the pictures.

I have just snapped these two photos of my spuds they have been in trays since two weeks before christmas. I hope I can plant some this week.

mine aren't in direct light, should they be?

How warm should the soil be for potatoes.  We had a very hard frost last night so soil still quite cold here.  Those of you nearer the coast are less likely to get late frosts, though I am hoping the lake to the north of our allotments will keep it warm.

Quote from: Digeroo on March 16, 2010, 21:20:19
How warm should the soil be for potatoes.  We had a very hard frost last night so soil still quite cold here.  Those of you nearer the coast are less likely to get late frosts, though I am hoping the lake to the north of our allotments will keep it warm.

Have you covered up your tatty bed to help warm the soil up a little, we even do it down south  ;)

Ninny

It needs to warm up before they grow, but they sit dormant in cold soil quite happily. I'm putting mine in, but I'm not expecting to see them till next month sometime.

Quote from: Digeroo on March 16, 2010, 10:44:45
Are you sure they are seed potatoes because supermarket ones are often sprayed with something to inhibit sprouting?  Also some varieties seem much slower than others.  While one variety called Kubis is on a take over bit of my spare room and Orla is not far behind.  Good thing I only had five of each. :o

I bought them from BnQ there supposed to be an  early variety, they're on the greenhouse shelf at the moment, but don't look any different  from the day i bought them? ???