chitting potatoes

hi all, just a couple of quick question,when will you all start to chit your potatoes, where will you do this,(ie greenhouse, potting shed, cuboard,) and how,do you lay them out into eggboxes, seed trays, any old box,hang them up in bags, has any one tried this way to grow potatoes, to cut off an inch around of the eye, then plant this piece into compost untill it grows, then plant out into the ground when big enough, i ask because i can remember my dad saying he did it this way to save money, as you throw away the peelings after peeling them, try growing them, thanks windy

 

what do you mean 'chit' your potatos?

 

Cutting the chitty bits off and planting them was an old, old method amongst the very poor who couldn't afford to 'waste' the whole potato. But seed potatoes actually don't make that good eating and the plants do better when they have the whole tuber to feed on.

To chit your spuds, they are best placed in a tray - I use egg cartons or apple trays from the supermarket - and place them bud upwards, in a dark cool place for about 4-6 weeks until the chits are about 4" long. Then I plant them one of three ways.

1. In a 18-24" deep trench with plenty of compost and stuff in the base
2. In a shallower trench with a heap of soil over them
3. In tubs, buckets, bins or bags which have just enough compost in them to cover the chits. Then as they grow, add more and more compost to cover them.

Easy peasy! Just make sure they have enough water!

 

hi azadaman, chitting means: to pregerminate,allow the seeds to grow shoots before planting, to check if the seeds is viable,

 

Didn't they do a trial on Gardener's World which seemed to suggest that spuds grew more or less the same, chitted or not?
I don't make a point of growing a crop now, but sometimes if I have one or two potatoes left at the bottom of the supermarket bagful which have started to grow "eyes" I put them into a large planter and let them grow. They usually produce a very good crop without any elaborate chitting processes. With potatoes, I think it's regular feeding and watering that are the most important things.