Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: NN2Blue on March 05, 2012, 11:26

Title: Chitting - How Big Can or Should You Let The Chits Grow?
Post by: NN2Blue on March 05, 2012, 11:26

My First Earlies are chitting very nicely but I don't want to plant until 3rd or 4th week in March.
What do people think represents the ideal shoot growth prior to planting? Is there a point at which the seed potato must be planted?

Cheers!

Title: Re: Chitting - How Big Can or Should You Let The Chits Grow?
Post by: JayG on March 05, 2012, 11:43

Up to an inch is about right, but more important is that they are sturdy and green/purple in colour.

Pale chits are a sign of insufficient light, and although it sounds paradoxical such chits would slow down if given more light (if they are really long and white it's better to rub them off and start again even at this late stage, as they will be weak and break off anyway when you plant them.)

Title: Re: Chitting - How Big Can or Should You Let The Chits Grow?
Post by: Stevens706 on March 05, 2012, 12:48

I agree with JayG, if they are in the light they tend to stop at about an inch, as if by magic

Title: Re: Chitting - How Big Can or Should You Let The Chits Grow?
Post by: NN2Blue on March 05, 2012, 13:17

Thanks.
They are a bit longer than an inch but they are nice and thick, purple with green fronds developing (It's "Home Guard" for a change this year).

Title: Re: Chitting - How Big Can or Should You Let The Chits Grow?
Post by: mattwragg94 on March 05, 2012, 19:14

if they are green and purple they are fine, its when they are white that you've got to worry!