7 March 2016 Chitting Potatoes

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/March%202016/7%20March%202016%20Chitting%20Potatoes/HTML/ 7 March 2016 Chitting Potatoes
Chitting potatoes is the process of growth under bright light conditions to form green shoots from the eyes. This gives the seed stock an early start. Chitting takes about six weeks to get green growth shoots about 1.5 cm long. My outdoors planting date is about the 15 of April if the weather is warm enough in my Zone 5. The potatoes selected were Yukon Gold and Pontiac Red. The larger seed potatoes were cut in half. Both these type of potatoes produce from 4 to 8 pounds per plant depending upon conditions.

 

[headfullofbees]

A note about chitting; it is useful ONLY to get a head start prior to the growing season.
Basically, it takes approx. six weeks to get one-two week's growth and costs up to 5% of harvest.
If you buy your seed potatoes very close to the start of the growing season in your area don't chit, get 'em in.