Potatoes: Buying, Chitting, Planting, Earthing Up; Harvesting.

sparrer

peter999 wrote: »

I've put out 2 lots to chit, with chits upright, as all the potatoes already have chits.

But I saw on website, something saying:

"Each seed potato has a more rounded, blunt end that has a number of 'eyes'."

From what I can see chits & eyes can be on different/opposite sides.

There isn't an obvious side that only has the chits.
Seems chits could be anywhere or on opposite sides.

peter999

I have the same problem, so choose whatever side I think and now have some healthy chits on all my 'Rocket'.

I'm beginning to think anything goes. Spend this afternoon with friends who never chit, and are still eating last years crop grown in only 3 containers. They plant Maris Piper staggered over 6 months, never taking any notice of 1st earlies, main crop etc etc. They're either very green fingered or just extremely lucky!

Sally_A

bump....:o

sorry, had to bump it, couldn't be arsed to type that lot again

Julieel

Ok so I might sound a bit stupid when I ask these questions but forgive me I have just got my first allotment this month. Here goes:

If I get first / second early and maincrop potato seeds do I chit and plant them all out at the same time?

What does 'earthing up' mean?

When should they be harvested? Will leaving them in the ground a bit longer do them any harm?

Thanks!

Sally_A

Yes, chit them all at the same time, some don'tbother chitting the main crops but I do if I can.

Plant out the earlies first, anytime from mid March, 2nds and mains anytime between until the end of April.

Earthing up is basically dragging the soil over the emerging haulms(ie leafy stem bits) to ensure the potatoes are given soil to produce and also to keep the sunlight off the growing spuds and stop them going green.

Dig up your first earlies approx 3 months after planting, by the time these rows are used up move on to the 2nd earlies, and harvest maincrops until the end of September, or later if you have milder weather. Just get them all up by the time it turns frosty abd wet.