Should I start chitting my Foremost and Swift now?

Kagganz · « **on:** January 20, 2009, 06:41 »

I've been reading all of the threads about potatoes and am getting more confused by the second :shock:

Also when (roughly) should I start chitting

Charlotte
Pixie
Vivaldi
Maris Peer

I realise that different areas will have different timings and I shall try to be sensible when planting out.

Any info you give me I shall write in my journal so that I don't have to mither you again!

I have a bright cold conservatory and a greenhouse (I thought the conservatory would be best) to chit in........

Sorry its another spud Q :?

Thanks x

Kagganz · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2009, 08:38 »

:roll:

I KNOW that DD's around but he's playing somewhere else.............

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2009, 08:38 »

They need to be chitted in the cool but frost free so your conservatory sounds good as the light level will be high so those conditions will give you good strong dark chits.

Chitting takes about six weeks and I chit all of mine including the main crop ones which many growers don't bother to do. So decide when you want to plant them, you don't want the leaves to be above the ground when there is a chance of frost, your allotment neighbours can advise you about that.

John has a good brief guide here:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/potato/potato-growing-guide.php

Kagganz · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2009, 08:50 »

Thanks Aunt Sally

so.........................

could I chit them all together

plant them all at the same time (different potatoe sacks)

Label and feed etc. then harvest at their right time??

xx

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2009, 08:56 »

Yes

Yes

Yes

DD. · « **Reply #5 on:** January 20, 2009, 08:59 »

I'd already posted on another thread what I'd done.

I've got 266 little beauties all laid out in the frost free greenhouse. They're done like this, not because I'm over eager to chit them, but because they are better off in there than the garage which can get frost or the coldest room in the house - which is still too warm.

They've got light as opposed to the garage so as soon as they start they won't get leggy chits.

I'll repeat that it's not an eagerness to chit them, but the best compromise for storage.

Kagganz · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:00 »

Thank you xxx

You'll here no more from me now (about potatoes that is!)

xx

Kagganz · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:02 »

Soz DD didn't see your thread :oops:

I knew you were hiding somewhere

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:02 »

I've only got 9 kg of seed potatoes so I've got room in my fridge (now Christmas is over) to store them until I want them to start chitting.

DD. · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:09 »

Here's my babies better make that 266 of them, (I think).

A boring photo of 266 seed spuds sitting in trays in the greenhouse, doing absolutely nothing that you can see!

Salmo · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:30 »

Putting potatoes in the fridge might be too cold unless it is above 5 degrees?

I like to bring the potatoes into the warm for a few days to break their dormancy and then put them in a cool light and frost free position until planting time.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2009, 10:47 »

Quote from: "Salmo"

Putting potatoes in the fridge might be too cold unless it is above 5 degrees?

:shock: I'd I've stored them in the fridge for before chitting for years, never had a problem !

Iain@JBA · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2009, 12:57 »

Oh well I must be doomed I store 1000tonnes at 3 degrees

DD. · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2009, 12:58 »

How many egg boxes do they take to chit them in?

Iain@JBA · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2009, 13:01 »

Yes it would be alot of egg boxes but to be honest we never chit.
We plant in May and Harvest in August. I would cry if I had to chit them all.

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