Chitting Potatoes with a difference.

[Durgan]

Some years I chit my seed potatoes by simply placing them in bright light usually in an egg carton. They often dry out. They grow but look sort of unhealthy.

This year I placed some in a small pot filled with my seedling soil. The soil was just slightly damp. The potatoes grew green sprouts in about two to three weeks. Far greater growth than simply chitting without the soil. The soil in some cases was too wet and the potatoes rotted in the pots, so just damp is the criteria.

Such an improved method is acceptable my case, since I only grow about 75 plants.

http://durgan.org/2016/April 2016/19 April 2016 Planting Potatoes/HTML/ 19 April 2016 Planting Potatoes 19 April 2016 Planting Potatoes

Chitted in Pot with soil

Chitted in egg carton.

 

[headfullofbees]

Would you mind going into more detail about how you plant these, as, since there is so much foliage, there are bound to be quite a lot of roots?
I usually plant my seed by walking backwards and just laying them in the trench, on top of the muck and straw.
We don't usually chit maincrop potatoes.

 

[Corzhens]

I envy people who can grow potatoes and carrots. We have tried it once or twice but the harvest was not good. I remember the carrot was an inch long and although the color is nice, it was so small and not even worth peeling. With potatoes, we were able to harvest some but they are also small like the marble potatoes. Our suspicion is the soil since the natural soil in this area is clay so it is very sticky and probably gives a root crop a hard time.

 

[Durgan]

Would you mind going into more detail about how you plant these, as, since there is so much foliage, there are bound to be quite a lot of roots?
I usually plant my seed by walking backwards and just laying them in the trench, on top of the muck and straw.
We don't usually chit maincrop potatoes.

Potatoes usually grow regardless. Chitting accelerates germination. Chitted they are planted in the normal manner. Obviously if there is a large number involved it has to be dispensed with. But usually the seed potatoes are sitting around awaiting planting so why not give them a boost?

People tend to accept any potato as acceptable. But there is a great variation in potatoes of the same type. There are many factors to consider in a quality potato, often overlooked. Size, weight, texture, knobby, deep eyes, number of tubers, variation in size, scabs, hollow centers determine quality potatoes. Some parameters are subjective but experience in judging helps.

I have had harvests such that I cared not to eat them.

 

[headfullofbees]

One further question, if I may; ordinary chitting, although hastening the harvest, (very valuable if you're in areas most prone to disease) is reputed to cost 5% of the harvest. What impact, if any, does this method have?

 

[Durgan]

My view on chitting is the potato grows more robust. I see no downside to the process. I consider potatoes to be much weather dependent. Usually meaning moisture of adequate quantities. I consider a fine potato to be a food of the Gods. Baked served with butter or scalped is nice for a change. How anybody could determine a 5% reduction in harvest is beyond me.