Tweet
I Have been reading the pro's and con's in various gardening magazines and books, most say yes but a few "experts" say no. What do you think?
-
-
And, whilst the logic of only growing seed potato from reputable, usually scottish growers, is generally sound.How much harm can it do to use spare potato's from the supermarket in the far end of the plot ? Seems wasteful not to as they are damn hard to compost without them appearing in the soil at some stage anyway. -
Bernie,
Try chitting half of your potatoes and leaving the rest.....then you can see how they compare and make your decision as to which is best for future years.
Please see my reply in the thread above this one for using supermarket potatoes.Geordie
Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure
Comment
-
Bernie66 (hello!).
I don't observe that chitting main crop spuds makes a great deal of difference, but for new potatoes it really helps; I get a better yield of little spuds than if I don't chit.
As for planting a few dodgy old supermarket spuds, I've done that and got away with it, but is it worth it? Seed spuds aren't expensive. You can, if you're confident, save seed spuds from year to year (and if you buy the 'microplants' of rare varieties you'll have to save them at least once to get a good harvest), but for the supermarket varieties there's just no point taking any chances.Comment
-
Hi Bernie,Originally posted by bernie66
The main trouble is pests & disease's as I sure Geordie will have put in his other post. Seed potatoes that you buy are certified as disease free, if you use the ones from the supr market, you could introduce eelworm into your plot which is impossible to iradicate and could affect not just potatoes but other crops as well. They won't harm you but it means that you won't get a good yeild year on year.
So is it worth it? I would say no, but if you are really keen or using them, I'd grow in pots or tubs away from your veg plot (on the patio where you could disinfect the area and then throw the haulms & the compost away to be safe.
ntgntg Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic==================================================Comment
-
cheers folks, I will be trialing some chitted and some not. And i will bin the supermarket spuds!Comment
-
the supermarket spuds are srayed whilst growing and in store, with fungicides , peticides, anti srouting etc its a wonder they will grow at all. the chances of them carrying any deseises must be minimal.Comment
-
Help ...
Followed Geordies advice elsewhere and have got my potatoes stored in a north facing cold room (no heating on at present) on top of a wardrobe. Looked today and I have sprouts nearly a inch long already
Can I stop them sprouting further in any way?? Should I cover them up ? I won't be able to get them into the ground at least until early/mid April - I'm sure this didn't happen so quickly last year. But I am trying new varieties (Saxon, Duke of York and Maris Peer) - are they early sprouters?
The thing is - if you buy your seed pots when they are in the shops, you can't really help but chit can you
~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay AshComment
-
Get them into the light, they should slow down as they green up.
Mine are green and 1/2 cm long and been chitting for 3 weeks now.
"Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
-
Mine too
ntgntg Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic==================================================Comment
-
Mine arrived today....Cara & Kondor as a maincrop, Orla & Amandine as first earlies.
Amandine are a french seed potato I am trying for the first time.Geordie
Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure
Comment
-
hiya, quick question - I've got mine (Vales Emerald early and Desiree main) allegedly chitting in the porch - cold, light, propped up in seed trays. they must have been there for about a month, but there's very little sign of any shoots. could it be too cold? should I just plant them even in they dont sprout in another 3-4 weeks?
thanks for any advice.Comment
-
I have a few types of seed potato chitting and some are growing shoots faster than others are. It perhaps is the difference between having earlies second earlies and maincrops mixed together. I marked each spud with a permanent marker so I always know which is which as I turn them in their chitting box.
JaxComment
-
FVV,
Temp is probably too cold...but dont worry. Chitting just starts the life cycle of the potatoe....the earlier you start the process the earlier it will finish. You will still get a good crop if you plant with no shoots.
I think I am right in saying that commercial growers never chit any of their potatoes and they get good crops.
I would plant mid March as you are in Kent. Dont forget these are guidlines at best, dont get to hung up on procedures!Geordie
Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure
Comment
-
Chitting
I have bought a bag of Desiree last week. I then put them on my sunny (morn) bedroom window sill. is this wrong ? as I live in a tower block I am restricted on space. the only outside space I have is my balcony. But I have ordered 7 different varieties of potatoes which have not yet arrived. I'll have to take them to work and put them on the warm mezzanine floor to chit.Comment
Comment