Chitting and planting potatoes

[Mags]

Thanks Phil - I guess I shall have to grin and bear it then and just experiment a little. I am fairly new at this allotment lark - but I guess I shall only learn by trial and error and by asking questions to my fellow allotmenteers and seasoned folks like you all here.

[kirsty b]

Have not bought mine yet. Going to potato day in Feb, and will probably order some from tattieman too.

[helly]

chitting potatoes

Hello all, now I've got my st earlies, and plenty of egg box's, where's the best place in house to leave them to get on with chitting
cheers

[allotmentlady]

frost free place with no central heating!!! spare room, pantry???

[helly]

Thanks, near window or do they prefare semi light or no light at all?

[bridget mc laughlin]

The place that you put them should have plenty of light but not too cold

[snuffer]

As allotment lady says, somewhere cool but frost free. They need light. If left in dark the shoots will become long and weak.

Have just put my first and second earlies to chit today. Will purchase maincrops next week.

[helly]

Thanks all....good info

[Jameslovell]

My seeds potatoes got delivered in the week, so set them out in a seed tray on a window sill in the cloakroom. I ordered a collection of 6 varieties with 10 seeds potatoe of each. Only managed to get out 50 on the window sill, so will need to find somewhere else for them.

The last frost is supposed to be around early May here (which seems very late, so will have to double check). Do potatoes mind going out before the last frost? If it's best to wait, then they will be chitting for 4 months...

[Dennis-The-Menace]

Chitting seed potatoes

Today I bought 2 bags of Maris Piper seed potatoes from good old Wilkinson’s.

I know you have to chit them by leaving them to sprout for a few weeks but I would like to know if they should be left in a light or dark place to chit? If the place is too light won’t the potatoes go green and become useless?

[FionaH]

They need light to chit strong green shoots. It only matters if they go green if your going to eat them, which your not

Ooh I sound all knowledgable! I learnt this on here last week

[zazen999]

I'm just merging the chitting potatoes threads: there's going to be a few over the next few weeks and it keeps them all in one place.

[russell]

I got some Mairs Peer from Homebase. According to a website they are second earlies.

Snuffer - what type are your second earlies and what made you begin to chit them now? Not wanting to sound nosey but I'm trying to plan ahead and wondered if they needed to be chitted now.

Thanks

[snuffer]

Hi russell, I use International Kidney as a second early. They are the same potatoes that are sold as Jersey Royals if grown in Jersey.

I have always put my potatoes to chit in January, don't ask me why, think it was something I read in an RHS book years ago.

The most important thing is not to plant them out to early. Frost will destroy the foliage and drastically set them back.

[jackie j]

I have started a few of my pentland Javelin bought from B & Q as well as growing in the ground I am also going to grow some in pots or potato bags.