First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???

  • 14 Replies
  • 8615 Views
*

Dan

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Maidstone
  • 100
Hiya veg lovers !
i used to be on here way back last year was getting an allotment but didnt in the end as i was moving....moved...and have gone back to uni studying a degree in "Countryside management"...am having to move back in with my mum to do it and we have just bought a nice country house...so i finally get my OWN veg patch ( ok so needs a lot of quick work over the next few weeks and the "grand plan/raised beds" etc will have to wait until next season)

Anyhow...having only grown patio container herbs and  veg before ( toms, herbs, chilli peppers etc etc) im new to the world of spuds.

I have just bought ...seed potato's...First earlies, Second earlies and main crop.
Now? chitting ...i know people say dont bother but im in between moving and feel i want "Something" to be going on even if its just some chitting spuds...but....do you chit all of them now? first, second and main?...or just the earlies now....seconds later on and mains much later? and do you plant them in the three stages or do you put all of them in at same time and they come ready at different stages? and also...with this sudden cold spell...should i be chitting yet at all and when do you plant?

sorry for sooooo many questions in my first ( new/back again) post?

Dan ;)

*

John

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Clogwyn Melyn, Gwynedd
  • 17113
    • Low Cost Living
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2007, 01:16 »
Welcome back Dan - wondered what had happened to you.

I but a brief article on growing potatoes on the site at:
http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetables_and_herbs/Potatoes.php

Notice the imaginative file name  :)

Suggest you peruse (being as you're educated thought I'd best talk fancy) and then come back for what still puzzles -

My feeling is chitting early potatoes is worth it and debatable for main crop potatoes but you know 3 gardeners will always give a minimum of 4 opinions.
Check out our books - ideal presents

John and Val Harrison's Books
 

*

Eristic

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: NW London
  • 324
    • http://downtheplot.com/index.php
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2007, 01:21 »
Hi Dan and welcome to the night shift.

The current concensus is that chitting is not needed and it is a fact that if they are just popped into the soil in March/April they will grow.

However, I will put the case for chitting them.

1st. It is still 8-10 weeks till planting time abd while they are in storage they will probably shoot anyway. If chitted, the shoots will be smaller, stronger and not tangled up.

2nd. For the earlies at least, you will gain a week or so to harvest. Not really important unless you are the first one to parade round the site with new spuds.

3rd. Therapy. At the moment we are all eagerly waiting to get stuck in if only the weather would break. We sow a few seeds in pots, shuffle our seed packets, and chit the potatoes.

The best method of chitting is to use the egg trays as these not only hold the spuds up, they are also kept from touching each other. Most potatoes have the majority of the eyes at one end and that end should be placed on top. Store the trays somewhere cool and in good light. Do not worry about them turning green. 4 months from now what's left of them will all be rotten. Check weekly.

*

Sadgit

  • Village Idiot
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Middlesbrough
  • 2311
    • Middlesbrough Weather
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2007, 06:19 »
Quote
and do you plant them in the three stages or do you put all of them in at same time and they come ready at different stages?


thats what I would like to know please :)

*

legendaryone

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Nottingham.
  • 198
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2007, 08:00 »
From what i have read you plant them at different stages.

*

beansticks

  • Guest
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2007, 17:45 »
HI DAN,JOHN is right we all have differing opinions.Personally i CHIT them all,and begin planting around 3rd week of march,weather permitting,i tend to plant at 2 weekly intervals with each variety

*

Martin

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Shaftesbury, Dorset
  • 152
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2007, 23:21 »
A good tip I got at the Hampshire Potato Day last year is to not plant out until the soil temperature reaches 10 degrees, otherwise the potatoes will rot. The way to tell that it has reached the right temperature is to wait until you see wormcasts. That was end of April for me last year.
Martin

*

shaun

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: g.sutton/cheshire
  • 6948
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2007, 20:19 »
Quote from: "legendaryone"
From what i have read you plant them at different stages.

I cant see the point in that if you have the time then plant them all the same day
feed the soil not the plants
organicish
you learn gardening by making mistakes

*

milkman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Hampshire
  • 1260
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2007, 21:17 »
Quote
Suggest you peruse (being as you're educated thought I'd best talk fancy) [end quote]

oh john with the introduction of such legal speak is your next career move gonna be to follow in footsteps of one's gifted daughter?
 :wink:
Gardening organically on chalky, stony soil.

*

Annie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Midlands
  • 1804
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2007, 09:35 »
I usually plant at the same time and crop as they come ready.

1st early10weeks
2nd early 13 weeks
maincrop...not sure
late maincrop 20 weeks

I planted in april last year as it was such a miserable spring and harvested the first earlis in june.

*

sorrel

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: West Midlands
  • 191
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2007, 12:47 »
I only chit the first earlies, but plant all at the same time (2nd - 3rd Week) march
Starting from scratch............

*

GrannieAnnie

  • Grandmother of the Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kent
  • 21104
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2007, 15:56 »
Well, I got my seed spuds today!  After perusing (see I'm educated too!!!) the poll we had a few weeks ago, I decided to try Ulster Chieftain for my first earlies and I got Desiree for maincrop and was ging to try pink fir apple, but having decided that I can only afford 3 bags, put the pink fir apple back and got Duke of York, as new potatoes are always more expensive to buy.

I usually leave a couple of weeks between planting first earlies and maincrop, but who am I do say?  I've only been growing spuds for 2 years!!!!!

*

Axe Victim

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Hertfordshire
  • 237
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2007, 17:29 »
Snap!  Got our earlies and 2nd earlies today (not bothering with main crop)....being the half-arsed gardener I am I've already bunged a few into a black half rain-barrel in a sunny position...just to see what happens. All the rest will go into a raised bed after another month or so....also planted some strawbs today...this warm weather is driving me bonkers...not only do the lady birds and hedgehogs not know it is the middle of winter...neither do I, it was like the middle of May on the allotment today!

Aaaaargh!

 :lol:
If life gives you lemons...wrap a dog turd in newspaper and set fire to it on Life's doorstep.

*

ziggywigs

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: Invergordon, Highland
  • 690
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2007, 00:01 »
My potatoes are chitting.  My FIL used to work on a tattie farm and said that they don't need chitting but if they are chitted they tend to show through the ground earlier.

I tend to plant all  mine at the same time usually March/April time depending on weather and soil conditions.

To be honest i find even if you chit them some of the shoots fall/break off on planting anyways.

Always get good crops.  This year i'm growing Lady Christyl, Vanessa and Swift.   Grown LC's for many years and never disappointed, other two are new for this year for me...so interested to see how they fare.  Usually grow Nicola's which are great salad potatoes.

*

Dan

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Maidstone
  • 100
First early's, Second Early's, Main crop? Chitting? help ???
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2007, 15:03 »
Blimey ! so many replies and info sorry i havent replied...bt lied to me lots....
We moved house and were supposed to be back online on the 7th feb...only just came back on this morning ! 13th !!!

So....
I have my earlies chitting....
my main crop waiting....

IS week 3 in march still the general rule?...obviously that snow the last week was a bit of a worry !

what CAN i put in now? as my new plot is all rotovated and manured and ready!



xx
1st early 2nd early main crop....what ia the difference

Started by needssomehelp on Grow Your Own

1 Replies
1928 Views
Last post November 06, 2010, 07:54
by arugula
xx
planting main crop potatoes in same place as finished early crop?

Started by aejonm on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
1662 Views
Last post June 16, 2021, 11:41
by al78
xx
Can i plant late spud crop after early or main this rotation

Started by Theedes on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
4605 Views
Last post July 09, 2008, 22:02
by DD.
xx
Chitting too early?

Started by WendysLot on Grow Your Own

8 Replies
3334 Views
Last post January 17, 2012, 17:03
by JohnB47
 

Page created in 0.331 seconds with 36 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |