Kitchen Garden Forum

I've bought my Arun Pilot and Kestrel earlies and put them in trays for chitting, But two quick queries, if I may.
1. Some of the Kestrel are very large. Is it OK to cut them in half before planting, and if so should I do this before or after they've "chitted"?
2. The trays are in the potting shed, covered in newspaper to protect against frost. But this means low light level. Is it better to keep them in the dark or in full light?
Thanks

John N,

I am not qualified to answer your first query, though I understand that cutting them in half could mean inviting trouble in that any pathogens will have easy access to the cut surfaces.

On the second point: I always keep my seed potatoes in the dark (and very cool though not frost, obviously) until I want them to sprout which, in our case, is not until end February/beginning of March, though you might be able to plant them earlier. I do keep checking them regularly and when they show signs of sprouting, they are put out to chit in the light but cool.

The labels on my recently delivered seed from JBA say :
"After purchase, carefully empty seed potato contents into shallow boxes or trays. Egg boxes or apple trays are ideal. Protect from frost and store in a cool area.
Two weeks before you want to plant your early potatoes, you should move your potatoes into a light area of about 10 degrees celsius to produce strong, thick sprout and making sure that they're rose eye upwards.
The potatoes will turn green when exposed to the light, but do not worry, as this is normal. Protect from frost."
I confess this is not what I do. I usually buy my seed potatoes (usually only first and second earlies) the last week in January. I put them on egg trays on the windowsill of an unheated bedroom facing West. I plant first week of March and first week of April so they are exposed to the light rather longer than JBA suggest. I am always worried about long shoots developing in the dark.

Agree with Geoff.
If potatoes are kept in the dark after the immature shoots have started to move then you will invariably finish up with long, leggy chitted potatoes. This isn't a problem in itself but does make handling and planting out much more difficult. The shoots are easily broken off and then the advantage of chitting is lost though the potato will still be OK for planting. I only cover mine if there is a threat of frost so most days and nights they are uncovered.

John

Geoff Do you plant them in March even if the soil has not warmed up, if so are they ok.

We have got quite a few different varieties this year and would like a good return, but are wondering if we should keep them closed in the dark or in egg boxes and chitting even though it is still early Feb.

A few days ago I got around to putting my seed potatoes into egg boxes. Some of the Charlotte were enormous so I have cut them in half. They are sitting in the garage - well actually the utility room - which is half-lit and the temperature will probably be in the range of 7 - 10C. I may lose some of the cut ones but most should survive - they usually do even if you cut and put them out straight away. But I will wait and see and report back. Fortunately, having waited so long before unpacking them they had already sprouted just enough for me to be able to decide where to do the cut so that both halves have sprouts.

For the March planting I usually dig and compost before now (any small time I get outside at the moment is on my tunnel project so I don't know what will happen this year) and then sheet over with polythene (we have previously had a debate about black or clear, I use clear). About 7th March (my birthday) I uncover, dig trenches, line with more compost, add Growmore, plant and cover with ridges. I then build a cloche with large hoops and polythene and pull over the original sheet of polythene as well, it puts a double layer over these first earlies and leaves a single layer over the rest of the bed for the second earlies in April. When I plant the second earlies I usually take off the second polythene layer. As they grow towards the end of the month or more likely in May I bunch up the cloche down the centre line so I can put it back if frost is threatened. If it goes very cold I might throw an extra layer of fleece or polythene over for the night. A lot of work but I usually start digging about 21st May (my wife's birthday) when the crop is pretty valuable. I might have some photos, if tomorrow's forecast lives up to promise I might have a look.

Have to go back to 2006 for some photographs - technique not quite the same but pretty close. Planted 11th March then photographed again on 12th.

In April I took some photographs to show Sweet Pea planting, in the background you can see the growth in the cloche on 18th April. On the 5th May you can see how I bunch the cloche down the centre line. Unfortunately dear diary doesn't tell me when I dug them that year.

My father used to dip the cut sides of large potatoes in flowers of sulphur to stop them going rotten. I don't know if this is an old wives tale or whether it works. I suppose it stops rots and moulds setting in.

If I had a need to cut a seed potato I would chit first to see how many eyes I have and then cut accordingly and coat the cut with flowers as sulphur as Plumpudding has mentioned.
I have resorted to cutting seed in the past but not since the late 1940's when seed was at a premium. If the seed has come up large I have planted them large.
JB.

Thanks for all your comments.
The only reason I thought to halve them was because I bought a small quantity by weight and they were about 4 less than I had planned for the size of the plot.
I could go back and exchange them for smaller spuds but the petrol cost would hardly be worth it. I think after what you all say I will halve the 4 biggest just before I plant them.
Thanks again.