3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[C&T]

Hello,

 

I decided this year to try potatoes. This is the first time I have grown them, and am doing them in sacks as garden space is limited.

 

So I ordered my seed potatoes (from Wiggly Wigglers) and they have since been laid out "chitting" in the spare room.

 

Now I was expecting to see lots of shoots growing nicely, ready to pop them into the sack. Instead, I see a lot of tiny shoots on each potato, each one about half a centimetre, but they seem to be refusing to grow any further....

 

Is this wrong? Am I doing something wrong? Or should I pop them into the sacks now??

 

They are mid season spuds apparently.

 

(Ironically, the baking potatoes in the food cupboard are growing some lovely long roots... )

 

Any help appreciated!

[Snowy]

I think they will only grow long white shoots if they are kept in the dark - they grow towards the light (hence why the ones in the cupboard have long white shoots). As long as they have chitted - started to sprout - they can be planted.

[C&T]

Thank you! That makes sense!

 

That's this weekends job planned...

[docsquid]

Yes, quite normal. Ours only chitted about 1/2 to 1cm, but that is enough. They were all planted last weekend.

[sunshinesupernova]

one of the magazines a couple of years ago ran a trial. They used one batch of seed potatoes. 1/2 were chitted and half were planted without chitting.

 

They couldn't find any difference in growth or crop yeild.......... Last two years - on that basis - I've planted without chitting.

[Tara.F]

chitting gives you a slightly faster crop....but often with slightly less yield.

The long white shoots are no good, you want the short stocky ones, usually purplish in colour....so it sounds as though yours are just fine.

 

Planting shop bought or home saved tubers can propagate some nasty diseases.

 

Pretty much all spuds can be planted now (except in the far north) the 'season' (early, maincrop, midseason) refers to when you harvest.

Good luck!

[C&T]

Thanks all for your replies!

 

I was beginning to worry!

 

I am looking forward to my new potatoes later in the year!

[chickencam]

We don't really have anywhere suitable to chit our potatoes, so these days we don't bother and we had an excellent crop last year which we are still using