[ravenzero1]

please can any one give me some advice on potatoes. i am new to this and just got my first allotment. my mane question is can i still by seed potatoes to grow now or will i have to wait. i need help

many thanks steve

[Jamie Butterworth]

My  garden centres still selling them, I suspose it depends on where you buy them from and if you do buy them youve stilll got bags oftime to plant them

[ravenzero1]

if i buy some do i have to chit them or something. i not even sure what chit means. what is the normal process

many thanks steve

[barbarella]

I'm sure you will still be able to get them and you will have time to chit them.  It's not absolutely necessary to chit, and it doesn't matter at all for maincrop potatoes.    If the weather conditions were right you would normally start to plant earlies about now (Good Friday was always the traditional day) but the soil is still cold so it would be better to wait a bit longer - especially if you live in the north.

If you want to chit, find the end with most eyes and stand it upright in an old egg carton, then leave them in a light airy place - the little sprouts will look purplish and get the spuds off to a good start when you plant them,

[bigben]

I planted mine two days ago, my local B &Q are currently selling seed spuds at half price. You still have time to get some and plant them. Chitting is meant to improve yield but if you plant spuds without chitting you will still get a crop. Some people dont even bother with chitting anyway but that is a whole other topic.

[digalotty]

if you have never done potatoes before pentland javelin are a good one to start with 

[ravenzero1]

thank you very much that is a great help

steve

[ravenzero1]

just one more thing. when should i buy second and main crop seed potatoes and when should i chit them.

many thanks steve

[mumofstig]

Buy them all now, and plant as soon as it warms up a bit more

[Sadgit]

I never chit spuds and had a great crop last year. Haven't even bought my seed spuds yet either. You can normally get a good deal if you wait. I always grown Charlotte for salad and Desiree for main.

[Trillium]

We grow only maincrop types and never ever chit them, and we have fabulous yields, but that's because we manure our plots well every fall. If you have old manure, you can apply it now and plant a bit later.

[Dill The Dog]

There's some good help on this website..........

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/potato/

Goes through buying, chitting, growing and varieties etc.

HTH  

[Cazzy]

As my old plot neighbour reminds me.... "ye don't see farmers chitting their totties dae ye?" ... he is a riot and we love him but he has a tongue that would cut tin 

I still chit mine but only because I buy them too early, next year I will be waiting for the reduced priced ones and chucking them straight into the drills.

[ravenzero1]

one more question i think. When should i plant main crop potatoes.

many thanks steve

[mumofstig]

Buy them all now, and plant as soon as it warms up a bit more