Potato Chit Test !!

[Bigmallly]

The more chits, the smaller the tatties will be, I believe you are looking at 3 to 4 chits per tattie.

[Aberdeenplotter]

So what's the optimum number of shoots to leave for maximum crop? Or if you left them all would you still get the same weight of crop, but with more, but smaller tubers?

I only grow earlies and have never considered this before, my spuds wait on the windowsill till the weather's right, then get planted as they are with all the shoots they've chitted.

Another question - if you cut a potato in half to give 2 pieces both with chits, will they produce more, less or equal to what they would have done if left whole?

To the first question, it depends on the size of spud you want and it also depends on the variety. I grow to show looking to get tubers of a size between 6 and 8 ounces. The best colored variety for showing is Kestrel and with it, I leave three or four sprouts/chits. With Winston which is the best white variety, I wouldn't remove any sprouts/chits as that variety has a tendency to grow really big. I leave only a couple on Maxine which is a lovely pink/red coloured variety but tends to produce really small spuds if no sprouts/chits are removed.

I know that doesn't really answer your question exactly but it does point you in the right direction

[Aberdeenplotter]

Another question - if you cut a potato in half to give 2 pieces both with chits, will they produce more, less or equal to what they would have done if left whole?

I have cut large spuds if I've been short of seed and there is no noticeable difference in crop from that of a similar sized whole spud tothat of the half large spud.

[veggiechicken]

Do you remember Hairy Cousin Anya? How you all said she should be binned?
You know me, always prepared to give the underspud a chance, so I put 4 in a spud bag of compost, alongside a bag of 4 other chatty spuds - as an experiment you understand!!
I've earthed up the Chatty spuds 4 times but there has been no sign of growth from hairy Anya - so today, I decided to chuck them out. Imagine my surprise at finding this..............



Lots of baby Anyas but no sign whatsoever of shoots
So Spuddy experts, what's going on here?

[Bill HH]

Awww i feel sorry for those little babies, will you be burying them again? It seems very strange to have no shoots at that stage.

[veggiechicken]

I know what you mean, Bill..............they have been re-interred - to see what happens next

[sammy_roser]

I've never dug up a potato before once the tops have shown, be interesting to see what has happened underground when they start showing...

[Penellype]

I'm no expert, but it looks like the potato "thinks" its a stem rather than a tuber, so its sending out side shoots with potatoes on them. I have a vague feeling I've seen something similar happen before but I can't remember the details (variety, time of year etc).

[darcyvuqua]

Give it a break you obviously have a spud that's not confident enough to show those parts maybe the other potatoes ain't chatting to it so it feels excluded so is now hiding away to avoid any embarrassment in the future




Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[Bill HH]

This is obviously a sensitive and reserved spud. In the Midlands there was a saying told by fathers to daughters going out on their first date, Keep yer halfpenny in yer hand. These spuds are obviously reserving any overt display of sexuality. Although being with child as they are its a bit late.