[flopsy]

I've been reading a blog from earlier about frost and seed potato's
I'd had mine chitting away in an un-heated greenhouse on the lott when the recent cold snap came. I think that it did get frost in there.

The potato's were on the soil with bubble wrap covering them, i've now lifted them off the soil on to a table sitting on news paper but un-covered.

The blog i read said that his potatoes had started to develope a whitish foamy substance on some of his seeds following the few days of cold frost a few weeks ago, that whats happend to some of mine, are they now dead or will the pick up and can still use them?

I've had them chitting for about 4 weeks and to date they have not shown any signs of life
Any information would be welcomed
Cheers Pete

[mumofstig]

If they've gone soggy/foamy then they're dead

[DD.]

Yup, looks like replacement time.

[gremlin]

The posts here explained to me what was happening to my spuds, which had started to weep from the eyes and were soaking wet on the outside.    No foam though.

I brought them in to the house to dry out in the warmth. Most did dry out and have stayed firm, but a few turned to mush and were obviously lost.  Maybe if your spuds stay firm they will have a chance.

And my spuds haven't started chitted, even though they have been laid out for 5 weeks.

[azubah]

If  they are dead they should start smelling pretty horrible shortly.

[simonwatson]

There's no mistaking the smell of a rotten spud, that's for sure.

[plum crumble]

I wouldn't chance trying to keep any from the same batch - clear the lot. Sorry, it's disappointing I know

[JayG]

I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it a few more times - a layer of fleece or bubblewrap will usually protect outdoor crops from a slight overnight frost, but a greenhouse or shed facing minus double-figures overnight will almost certainly get down to well below freezing, and only an epic amount of insulation will save anything inside from experiencing the same temperature.

If seed spuds seem reluctant to chit at all even though they're not frosted they probably are too cool - my north-facing bedroom rarely goes below 15C at this time of year yet my spuds chit slowly and steadily (for months if necessary) without deteriorating.