[greenhead]

Just opened a bag of seed potatoes (main crop)  the chitts are white, about 1" long and a mass of root forming at the bottom of the chitt.  What do I do? - cut the roots off or leave.  I have put them out onto a windowsill facing South in the kitchen and blocked half of the light with a piece of card.

[mumofstig]

where have you stored them or did you only just buy them?

[greenhead]

Hi mum, purchased 3 weeks ago and stored unopened in a unheated bedroom with windows partly shaded.

[mumofstig]

They have grown too long because you have kept them in the dark.
They need to be in the light but not in full sun, if you put them in the warm kitchen now, the chits will just get even longer IMO

[DD.]

The unheated bedroom sounds the best option unless you have anywhere cooler, but frost free.

Mine are in an unheated greenhouse, but the windows are shaded so it's not full sun and I keep an eye on the overnight temp.

[greenhead]

OK,  should chitting begin as soon as purchase even if planting may be 6 - 8 weeks off?.  How do you store the seed potatoes to delay the chitting process?

[DD.]

If it's started in store, you won't stop it.

I set mine up as soon as I get them and they'll sit happily for months until ready, without getting long chits.

[greenhead]

Going back to my post - should I leave them be or cut the root off?

[mumofstig]

leave them be.............

[JayG]

Don't think you've really got time to start chitting again from scratch. I'd break off the longest and weakest chits and then get them into the light; they'll sort themselves out after planting even if you do break a few chits off in the process.

[greenhead]

Thanks all.

[Salmo]

Rub all the chits off and then put them somewhere coolish, frost free and in good light. It is light that stops chits getting too long.

[Kristen]

Rub all the chits off and then put them somewhere coolish, frost free and in good light. It is light that stops chits getting too long.

I disagree at 1" length (longer and I would agree). I think they will green-up and not get longer if put in good light and kept cool - but I too would prefer that chits were a lot shorter than that!