[Bethslosttheplot]

I had an idea to grow some potatos over winter but in containers in the garage to keep the frost off them.....

Can anyone recommend a suitable seed potato for this...


Thanks all  

[peapod]

To be honest beth, I very much doubt you will find some seed spuds now, but if you are growing in containers then a chitted spud from the supermarket may do you
However,spuds need about 15 weeks or so, so you may be too late (11/12 weeks to Christmas?)
I chitted some and put them in abut 3 weeks ago, but Im pushing it there myself
Have a go if you fancy it though!

Paula

[Bethslosttheplot]

Oh ok thats no entirely bad news.... I have taken all my lottie spuds up and just wanted to keep the growing cycle through the winter, I could chit some of the lottie harvest and try them in the pots in the garage....  should give me enough potatos till the first earlies if I push it!!

Thanks very much

[Riala]

Sorry to sound dumb... but what does chit mean, and any chance someone could put up a pic of a seed potato and a tuber?

[Bethslosttheplot]

Well I am no expert but chitting is when you leave a potato to develop the white root type things that people associate with 'past the use by' and throw away, you plant when a potato has 4 - 6 'roots' and from that you get the harvest....  I dont know if that makes sense but as I say I am no expert... I am sure one of the moderators will be more specific  :roll:

[Bethslosttheplot]

HOwever!!!!  If you click on the useful sites link above there is a section about chitting potatos which is where I learnt  

[peapod]

Sorry to sound dumb... but what does chit mean, and any chance someone could put up a pic of a seed potato and a tuber?

Dont be sorry, I was asking the same questions last year!


A chitted potato has small shoots coming out from it. If you have ever seen a spud with shoots growing from it in the larder when you come to use your spuds for cooking then you know what I mean
You leave a spud on a windowsill (not direct sunlight though) and shoots will grow. It is from these that you get the harvest.

A tuber is simply....the spud!

Paula

[DD.]

The ones you have harvested will be dormant now. They may not start chitting until next year.

Unless your garage is as light as a greenhouse, it's not going to work. All plants need light to produce their food.

[Elcie]

If you are going to try this you don't really have that much to lose.  Worst that can happen is you have wasted one or two potatoes from the shop!  You can use the soil again and the buckets won't take up much space.  My only concern is they might not get much light in the garage - not sure if this makes any diff to potatoes though so go for it!

[Bethslosttheplot]

There is a large window in my garage which I thought may shed enough light ontot he work top... but if what you say is right DD I may have to leave it for now....  I just feel like I( have nothing growing...  starange after the busy summer picking and harvesting... my plot looks really boring... ha ha

[Iain@JBA]

Do you have a nice warm patio you could stick your container in?
The sunlight won't matter until the plant pushes through the soil but once it does then you will need plenty of sunshine. Dormancy of potatoes is 60 days before they will start to chit again.