[casper]

Hi, I starting chitting two weeks ago. I started first and seconds. Now am I right to think I chit and plant them at the same time and the 1st and 2nd just means they come up at differnet times? Or have I got that Wrong.
Also I read that side shoots should be gauged out so the goodness goes to the crown. How may tubers/shoots should they have before planting out? Can they have more than one shoot? Also how do they work when planted. I mean how many potatoes do you get from one seed potato?? Gosh I got so much to learn!! Thanks for any advice if I seem a bit silly x

[DD.]

Until you find your feet stop worrying about the number of chits, (shoots) the seed spud itself is the tuber.

All can be planted at the same time (not yet), first early, second early & late (maincrop) refer to the period of time taken for the potatoes to grow to maturity, first early being the quickest.

First earlies are usual dug up before maturity as "new" spuds.

[mattwragg94]

i have never gauged out the shoots, this could make the tuber rot,when planting out the potato should have 2-3 chitts, if it has anymore break them off. the amount of potato's per potato depends on the season - how much water, sun and how much you have earthed the up.

hope that helped,
thanks,
matt

[casper]

Ta Matt & DD, Well it felt a bit wrong to gauge something that was trying to grow, so if there was more than two shoots I just picked the side ones off with my nail. The shoots that are growing look healthy and are white and purple like some pictures on the internet. So fingers crosed at least one thing will grow. 

[mattwragg94]

i would leave around 3 shoots (the strongest ones) per potato. hmm im a bit concerned by the white shoots - this usually means that they have been kept in poor lit conditions for too long. however purple shoots are normal.

can you send us a link to the website that shows us a pic of what yours look like?

[DD.]

Casper - my advice.

Just leave them.

As long as they're somewhere cool and light, and are not straggly, they'll be fine.

Rubbing chits off is "fine tuning" as far as growing is concerned. Get your feet under the table first, get the spuds in the ground as they are, when you get your first crop out, your confidence will grow and you'll feel more at ease with "tweaking" things.

[mumofstig]

I never rub chits off (unless I've let them get too long by mistake, and need them to start again  )

[mattwragg94]

i though if you left too many chits on it drained the tuber of nutrients quickly - so by leaving 3 chitts on you would get strong health plants. thats what ive always been told.

[Ice]

i though if you left too many chits on it drained the tuber of nutrients quickly - so by leaving 3 chitts on you would get strong health plants. thats what ive always been told.

You are already draining the potato of nutrients by getting rid of the chits it has spent energy growing.  As DD says, just leave them.

[Growster...]

You'll probably break off some chits when you plant them or cover them, so as said here, just let' em be!

[Benandbill]

Another question, when you have your spuds chitting, the does it matter if when they're planted the chits are facing up or down?  I'm guessing down is best?

[Nikkithefoot]

As the chits are the new shoots for leaves etc I would plant the spuds with the chits facing up. It is then easier for the plant to grow towards the light. If you do plant them chits down the plant will know which way is up, it will take a little longer to show above ground.

[DD.]

If you think about it, you set your spuds up so the chits are up. Why go to all that trouble and then then them upside down?  

If you put them in the soil downwards you're likely to snap them off and then they'd be no point in chitting in the first place.

[JayG]

Because seed spuds are rarely spherical, and chits are young roots and shoots I lay them on their sides on a layer of compost and gently cover up - some chits will be up, some sideways, and some down, but they soon sort themselves out! 

If I were using a dibber rather than a trench I'd drop them in chits up, as DD says, and for the same reason.

[Cake Lady]

I'm chitting my first ever potatoes this year, and they all seem to be sprouting nicely.  The other day my mother asked if i was misting them with water.  Is this something i should be doing, or is it better to leave them?