Kitchen Garden Forum

My seed potatoes vary greatly in size from 24 per bag to 14 per bag..

Memory is that my father many years ago would cut large seed potatoes vertically.

Is this practice still done and do I need to protect the cut surface and how?

Welcome to the forum Fernside!

I have done this in the past, I just kept them whole while chitting but when ready for planting out I just made sure there was shared eyes/chits between each slice. They grew fine without any drying out but it was a while ago when the weather was more predictable, so unsure how they would fair with wet soil.

On saying that during the war it was just the peeled skin that was regrown with success so seems like they are tough enough to cope with a bit. I'm sure the other forum guys & girls will be able to add a lot more information for you.

Thank you,

I also asked D.T.Brown who referred me to a BBC Gardeners World Magazine article:

The response was:

Dry off the cut tuber.

Lightly dust the surface with wood ash to prevent rotting.

Thank you KG Magazine

I cannot add anything to what Westie has wisely said. The important thing to remember (as Westie says) is that you should only cut them at planting time not before.

Keep chitting

Barney

My father did the same with large seed-potatoes, can't remember what powder it was he pressed the cut half on, could it have been garden lime?

Definitely not lime, potatoes hate lime and it creates scab. My old book says cut at planting time and plant them cut side down onto the compost or manure that is lining the trench. The simplest solution for another year is to find somewhere that sells seed potatoes loose so you don't end up with oversize ones.

We've done this in the past. Cut side down, eyes up ! I can't recall any problems using this method.

My Dad used flowers of sulphur to dress the cut surface, which is somewhat fungicidal.

Thank you all who have replied