[heygrow]

My earliers have arrived and need to chit. Last year I planted a bit late with seeds that had already chitted and they went straight in and produced a good crop.

So this is my second year and these earlier are not chitted, so I would like to know what I have to do with my seed spuds to get them to chit...how long to leave them and if I want to plant out late March when do I start, i.e. how long do I need to leave them.

Oh and a final question, if i don't chit now how do I store to stop them chitting?

Thanks in advace all you experienced growers!

[DD.]

Mine are already set up in a frost free, light greenhouse.

Frost free and light are the keywords. They do not want to be too warm.

To stop them chitting, somewhere cold like a fridge.

[Kristen]

6 weeks chitting. But I don't think longer matters.  If you don't have 6 weeks, or they aren't "getting on with it!", then move them somewhere warmer.

If you are going to cold store them you need to do it before they break dormancy ... so if they have been in the house for a few days, or in a garden centre that was nicely heated for the benefit of the customers!, it may be too late.

[JayG]

On a cool, frost-free, north-facing window sill mine chit slowly for months (had some left over last year and they were still usable (if a bit wrinkly!) into July!

Warmer or lighter conditions would speed things up, but don't deprive them of all light or you will get long, white, fragile chits.

Kristen is no doubt correct about fridge storage, but with the correct chitting conditions there is no reason to store them (I never have.) 

[DD.]

23rd July 2009, found in shed, left over from the March planting



Planted them, they grew, then blight got them.

[Kristen]

Kristen is no doubt correct about fridge storage

Don't assume anything, please!

but with the correct chitting conditions there is no reason to store them (I never have.) 

That's what I do too. I'm more cavalier as mine are normally in the house at central heating temperatures ...

Here's a photo of some seed potatoes I got in July 2009 (for an Christmas crop), but I didn't get around to planting them in bags.  Photo was taken Feb 2010.

I did plant Christmas Potato Bags last Autumn, but I had a few seed tubers left over and they are still on the windowsill in my centrally heated office. I'm going to plant them side-by-side with this years new seed potatoes, as an experiment, and see whether I get any sort of comparable yield.

[chimaera]

Last year I didn't chit and the crop seemed identical to before. Is it really necessary?
Charlie

[Kristen]

Supposedly it brings the crop on earlier.  Chitting starts the tuber off on the process of growing.  I don't know what's involved in a Spud, but for a seed it involves enzymes converting the Starch to sugars to be used for energy for germination - so quite a lot happens before you actually get much growth.

There's probably some side-by-side tests that have been done somewhere?

[scousemouse]

I hadn't planned on planting mine until March/April, but all the rest of the folks have put their earlies and maincrops to chit now. 

Would it be alright to put them to chit in a cold, south-facing greenhouse to start chitting them now?

[Yorkie]

Would it be alright to put them to chit in a cold, south-facing greenhouse to start chitting them now?

I'd be a bit wary as an overnight frost will kill them.  An unheated room or a heated greenhouse would be better.

[scousemouse]

I don't have room in the house to chit a few kilo of spuds!  I think I'll do them in the shed.  I did that the first year and they were fine.  Now I just have to find some space ...

[Yorkie]

If you plan on using the shed, they will need to be protected from frost overnight and also have a lot of decent light to produce strong chits.

[madcat]

The last two springs mine were chitted in the shed - which isnt as light as I would like, but beggars couldnt be choosers.  I put bubble plastic loosely over them to keep them a bit warmer without cutting what light there is or  getting them too sweaty, and when we had a spell of really cold days and nights in late Feb I added fleece & dustsheets for extra warmth.  Not perfect but it is amazing what you can do if you have to!

[mrsparkle]

because it was so warm last year even my 2nd earlies were attacked by bllight..... BOO!

[Goldfinger]

Can I ask, do you chit 1st, 2nd and main crop tatties all at the same time? And then get them into the ground at the same?

Do the potatoes grow at different speeds, is that what gives you the different times to lift them?

Getting a bit lost/confused.....  :blink:  :blink:  :blink:  in all the excitement