Chitting potatoes

**OllieMartin** · 10-01-2010, 10:30 PM

I too bought a sack of earlies from Wilkos yesterday.

According to the label and my gardening books they need to be kept cool and light to chit, so I would think a windowsil in an unheated room would be better than under the stairs.

**binley100** · 10-01-2010, 10:41 PM

I agree but I'm worried it's too early to start chitting them.

**OllieMartin** · 10-01-2010, 10:43 PM

My book has it as one of the 'Essential jobs for January'

**binley100** · 10-01-2010, 10:46 PM

Everything I read says different. I live a bit further north I think than you so I don't know if that makes a difference. My book says to plant at the end of march and start chitting 6 weeks before .

**OllieMartin** · 10-01-2010, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by binley100 View Post

Everything I read says different. I live a bit further north I think than you so I don't know if that makes a difference. My book says to plant at the end of march and start chitting 6 weeks before .

Doesn't the packet say when to plant them?
Are they 1st earlies? The ones I got are and it says "Feb-Mar" to plant out.

The chits do last quite a long time, the potatoes in my kitchen cupboard have been sprouting for a good 6 weeks...if only I could eat them quick enough!

**solway cropper** · 10-01-2010, 11:00 PM

Rocket are first earlies and very early but last year mine tasted like chewed up cardboard. Won't buy them again. It's still a bit early but if you stick them in the fridge till you need them they should be OK. I'm sure Tattieman will help with this.

**binley100** · 10-01-2010, 11:03 PM

Originally posted by solway cropper View Post

mine tasted like chewed up cardboard. Won't buy them again.

Oh great . Guess I'll be looking for some others as well then

**tattieman** · 10-01-2010, 11:06 PM

Here is my section about chitting spuds chitting sprouting potatoes
There are lots more pages of info on my guides if you have time to read them.

**Shadylane** · 11-01-2010, 03:14 PM

Originally posted by binley100 View Post

Oh great . Guess I'll be looking for some others as well then

Not necessarily, just because they tasted naff for one person doesn't mean they will for you. Taste is a personal thing anyway and soil and weather can also make a difference, so I've heard. Our lottie neighbours always use Rocket and they love them. I can't remember what we did last year cause we were a bit naiive and disorganised BUT they were from Wilkos and I suspect they could have been Rocket. We loved them but to be honest you'd probably be impressed with anything compared to shop bought stuff.

**binley100** · 11-01-2010, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by tattieman View Post

Here is my section about chitting spuds chitting sprouting potatoes
There are lots more pages of info on my guides if you have time to read them.

Thanks tattieman . Very informative.

**Scottishnewbie** · 08-02-2010, 07:38 PM

i just picked up my seeds tatties from alan romans and he reckons that you dont need to chit as each seed potato only has a finite amount of energy in it and you dont want to use it all up in the chitting process! any got any thoughts/ideas please?

**tattieman** · 08-02-2010, 09:16 PM

In the latest news from the potato council independant trials found that chitting all seed potatoes was a major benefit to potato growers. It concluded that crops including maincrops could be harvested as much as upto 3 weeks earlier than non chitted crops. The savings for potato growers were into the thousands as the crops grew for a shorter period and required less spraying which saved alot of money.

**Scottishnewbie** · 08-02-2010, 09:24 PM

Originally posted by tattieman View Post

In the latest news from the potato council independant trials found that chitting all seed potatoes was a major benefit to potato growers. It concluded that crops including maincrops could be harvested as much as upto 3 weeks earlier than non chitted crops. The savings for potato growers were into the thousands as the crops grew for a shorter period and required less spraying which saved alot of money.

tattieman, many thanks for this - really useful. it's always so difficult to know the right thing to do sometimes isnt it! so glad you are on here.

**tattieman** · 08-02-2010, 09:48 PM

It really comes down to what suits your system. If they recommend that you do it commercially which would cost you �80 per tonne to do then it must be worth doing in the garden. The important thing is that you have all the information available to make an informed decision.

Announcement

Chitting potatoes

Chitting potatoes

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Latest Topics

Recent Blog Posts