what have I done wrong?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by oakdaledave, Mar 9, 2011.

  1. oakdaledave

    oakdaledave Gardener

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    Hi everyone. I have potatoes 'chitting' on the kitchen windowsill, they have pleanty of green shoots, but the potatoes are going green too! I guess I can't plant these?
     
  2. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    The skins go green in reaction to exposure to light. They'll be fine to plant. The green tint in the skin is just chlorophyll (plant blood).
     
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    • Marley Farley

      Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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      :WINK1: Potatoes go green when exposed to light full stop Dave... Just carry on mate as that is totally normal when chitting.. Mine usually have quite a green hue when I plant them out... :WINK1:.. Good luck & let us know how you get on.. :thumbsup:
       
    • Alice

      Alice Gardener

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      Nothing wrong, Dave. The potatoes do just turn green when exposed to light.
      It doesn't matter as you're not going to eat that seed potato - they usually just rot away once they have done their job.
       
    • Marley Farley

      Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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      :dbgrtmb: Dave, Clueles has summed it it up in a few words my friend........ :WINK1: :D..
       
    • oakdaledave

      oakdaledave Gardener

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      I think I will wait until the end of this month (March) to plant them out. Do I leave a bit of the new growth showing (above the soil) and then keep topping up as the shoots get longer?
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I bury them completely, but not deeply. Maybe a couple of inches of soil over them. Then I earth them up as they grow. If you leave a bit out, I'd be worried about frost or slugs or snails getting at the shoot before the tattie has had chance to send out new roots and establish itself.
       
    • oakdaledave

      oakdaledave Gardener

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      Yes, that makes sense. Well, this will be my first attempt, so lets see what happens. Am I right in thinking I should leave them till about the end of the month. The shoots are about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch at the moment.
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I'd wait til the end of the month, but I've heard murmerings of a change of trend towards planting them a bit earlier so as to try and beat the blight season.
       
    • Louise

      Louise Gardener

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      I read that shop bought cooking spuds should not be used for seed potatoes for a couple of reason including the fact that they are treated with growth inhibitors, but I have a few old shop bought cooking spuds that have chitted better than my seed potatoes! Has anyone ever planted ordinary potatoes with any success?
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I've always used shop bought ones that have chitted themselves. They do very well. If they sprout, they'll grow.

      The reason the practice is frowned upon is because unlike seedies, they are not certified to be disease free.
       
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