[Aunt Sally]

I brought my seed potatoes in  from the garden shed about 2 weeks ago (after then new year) as it was VERY cold and I was not sure they'd not get frosted.  I put them in a cold bedroom (not used or heated) in thier paper potatoes sack.

I checked on them today  :shock:  :cry: and my Arran Pilots have started to chit and as they are in the dark... very leggy  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:



What should I do  :?:   Bin them and buy more or remove the chits - will they grow again :?:

[Trillium]

I get that in my cold cellar as well. All it takes is for them to go through a really cold period and then into a less cold period and the stupid things think its time to start growing.

Forgot to add that I pull off the sprouts for now and try to eat them first. If they keep resprouting, I put them in the light which really slows down the chitting, but also makes them inedible.

[mkhenry]

I brought my seed potatoes in  from the garden shed about 2 weeks ago (after then new year) as it was VERY cold and I was not sure they'd not get frosted.  I put them in a cold bedroom (not used or heated) in thier paper potatoes sack.

I checked on them today  :shock:  :cry: and my Arran Pilots have started to chit and as they are in the dark... very leggy  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:



What should I do  :?:   Bin them and buy more or remove the chits - will they grow again :?:

If you go on to grow them you may be very disapointed with the results.
My old mate Pat used to say," the goodness has all run away with them now".
It is better to cut your losses and go for good seed potatoes without any problems.

You could put a few carefully choosen ones in tubs say at you back kitchen door, once the weather heats up,then you will have a few spuds handy, instead of having to pop down the lotty all the time.  

If they fail then you will have lost a lot less.

[Trillium]

I've put very withered and leggy potatoes out in the garden and they did quite well for me. Guess it depends on how well fed the spuds were in the first place. We use our own seed and they wallow in heavily manured soil all summer.

[strangerachael]

I had exactly the same problem. My seed potatoes arrived mid December and looked a bit like yours when I checked the other day. When I phoned the advice line at T&M they said take off the really long shoots, and put them in the light to chit properly. More shoots should develop. I have done that (took off anything longer than an inch) and the shoots have greened up considerably so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and next year I will buy in person when I'm good and ready!

[Iain@JBA]

Yes I would break the shoots off as they will re-grow and should grow with no problems or I could say no chuck them away as I know someone that could sell you some

[Aunt Sally]

Thanks every one.  I think I'll do just that and remove the long growths and leave them to start again.  

I've moved them to the bottom of my fridge now (big fridge) should I leave them there for a couple of weeks and just keep an eye on them or should I move them to my cold green house now in good light and protect overnight with fleece  :?:

[Iain@JBA]

I would go for the fridge as the temperature will be constant and cool and that should slow the growth down for sure.
A green house will be up and down in temp and make them grow faster.
Our cold stores are set at 3.2 degrees celcius and there are no sprouts in there.
That is the key. CONSTANT cool temps to fool them into not growing.

[DD.]

All mine are now resident in my cool greenhouse, just enough heat to keep the frost off.

Done this for several years now with no problems, always get short sturdy chits.

[Aunt Sally]

Many thanks Iain.  I'll leave them in the fridge for a couple of weeks before I start them chitting again

[Iain@JBA]

When they come out of that fridge and into your greenhouse they will fly.

[Aunt Sally]

:shock: OMG how will I catch them to plant them  :shock:  

[DD.]

They'll be good for chips then - flying tonight!!

Sorry. :oops:

[mkhenry]

All mine are now resident in my cool greenhouse, just enough heat to keep the frost off.

Done this for several years now with no problems, always get short sturdy chits.

DD the problem is often not what you have done with them, but what the seedsman/garden center did before you laid your hands on them.
 If they were packed and stored incorrectly in the first place you will get this sort of thing happening.
 However most good seed spuds can and do overcome almost everything we throw at them. So once we do get them its up to us to look after them and give them as good a start as we can.

[Iain@JBA]

Get yourself some RED BULL Aunt Sally and that will give you wings